These Days
by Karma1987
Summary: Part 3 of the slice of life AU, sequel to Pursuit of Happiness and Life and Liberty. Join the family for another slice of life covering 2014-2017
1. Skates on

**Disclaimer - Gilmore Girls characters and Stars Hollow belong to their rightful owners. I am just borrowing them**

 **Hey everyone. I know I said I would wait until after I finished my module for the year but I have needed to write, I've missed doing it. So here is part 3 of the slice of life AAE AU. This story will take place September 14-June 17. No promises on speed of updates but I'll do my best. As every this is all my own work so any mistakes are my own, Thank you for reading. Reviews are always welcome and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Skates on**

Lorelai woke with a start. For a moment she was disorientated. She was on her side surrounded by fluffy and pink. Beside her, snuggled into her side was Grace, the 3 year old breathing softly, her chubby little hand placed against Lorelai's chest. They had been reading, the second component of bedtime routine and it looked like it had worked a little too well. Slowly she turned her head to see why she had woken. Luke was hovering over her holding the house phone out.

"Wha?" Lorelai mumbled rubbing her eyes. She carefully twisted herself out of the grip of their three year old and struggled to sit up on the bed.

"It's Rory," Luke waggled the handset at her. "I gotta finish up with Sam."

"Kay," Lorelai blearily took the phone and watched him rush out. She stared at the handset for a moment and then heaved herself off the bed and moved out of Grace's pink explosion bedroom to take a seat in the window seat overlooking the front garden of the house. Before she pressed the phone to her ear she listened to the sound of Luke and their son discussing dinosaurs, and beyond that the soft chatter of the twins in their bedroom. "Hello," she coughed and then straightened up, trying to wake herself from the unexpected nap that had filled her head with cotton wool. "And to what do I owe the pleasure. Twice in one day. I feel honoured."

"I just fancied a chat," Rory's voice sounded softly down the phone. "Did I interrupt bedtime?"

"We're in a short intermission," Lorelai stifled a yawn. "Goldilocks and the three bears put both Grace and I to sleep, I feel like I've just wandered out of a crypt. So? What's up? What's the haps since lunchtime?"

"Nothing. I'm bored. Gigi's got homework. Spencer is still at work." Rory gave a huffing sigh.

"No peers to review? Editorials to edit? No lessons to prep?" Lorelai cooed, even in her half asleep my-brain-is-still-not-with-my-body-fog she was currently suffering with she could sense the despondent tone in her daughter's voice and knew the pep was what was needed. Rory gave the lightest of amused snorts. "You have to learn about deadlines Babes. The correct time for starting the work is like 12 hours before it's due in."

"I like to be organised. And the house is tidy because both Spencer and Gigi are ridiculously neat. The journal was published last week. I'm contracted to work 20 hours a month on it, so I'm done on that for a few weeks, the other journal hasn't sent anything for me to review, I've done a couple of book reviews for another journal but I am waiting to hear back on those and I got all my lesson plans done because last year was crazy and because I'm organised this year, nothing is going aahhhhh and now we've got the initial this-is how-the-library-works frenzy over with everything is just floating along. So, I'm bored because there is nothing but reality crap on tv."

"So you thought you'd phone Mommy, I'm touched." Lorelai's brow creased. "And surely by reality crap, you are not referring to the car crash delight of Kardashian's."

"I feel my IQ dropping when I watch them. No Thank you." Rory huffed.

"What about a book then?" Lorelai suggested. "Nothing Russian or pretentious you need to read?"

"I finished one last night."

"So start a new one."

"I've read them all," Rory sighed. "We're going book shopping on Saturday, so there is no point in starting something old when I'll be getting new stuff in 2 days. I don't have time to …ooh a short story anthology. I'll read that."

"There you are," Lorelai gave a subtle sigh of relief. "So go read that."

"I did interrupt bedtime, didn't I?"

"Kind of, Luke's just finishing up with tonight's episode of Jurassic Park. So I have to do snuggles with Little Man and then it's the argument session with the twins about lights out." Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Ok, Sorry Mom."

"I'll speak to you tomorrow. Happy reading." Lorelai clicked the phone off and rested her chin on the top of the handset for a moment. Rory was calling much more frequently now, and while she always loved to hear from her older daughter she couldn't help but notice that the calls were coming at more regular times and that they were following a pattern of negativity. Slowly, Lorelai got up and crossed into Sam's bedroom. The 4 year old's current obsession was dinosaurs and every single night for the last two months Luke had had to read from the same nonfiction book about dinosaurs. She smiled as she slipped into the bedroom. Sam was sat staring at the book in awe, cuddling a plush triceratops soft toy. "I've come to say Night Night Little Man."

"OK." Sam nodded. He tore his blue eyes away from the page and grinned at her. "Daddy's reading to me about Sarahtopsa. Toto's a tricetops and tricetops are Sarahtopsa," the child eye's widened in excitement.

Lorelai grinned and flopped onto the other side of the bed, giving Luke the chance to surreptitiously tuck the book away. "Wow, that's really cool."

"Yes," Sam snuggled his toy tightly.

"I bet learning all that stuff makes you sleepy," Lorelai faked a yawn and sure enough the little boy yawned in reply. "So down to sleep and I bet you can dream about Toto the Triceratops."

"Ok Mommy," Sam slid down in his bed and looked up at his parents expectantly. "Night Night."

"And BedeByes," Lorelai tucked the cover around Sam. She leaned back to let Luke kiss the child and then went in for a kiss herself. "Dream good."

Sam responded by yawning widely again and Lorelai carefully stood up from the bed. Together she and Luke slid out of their son's bedroom. They pulled the door partially closed and then looked at each other. Lorelai grinned as Luke gave an amused shake of his head. "The science gene comes from you remember," Lorelai teasingly poked Luke in the side.

"The braininess comes from you," Luke rolled his eyes and flicked them towards the ceiling.

"How do you figure that then?" Lorelai swatted his bicep. "April's a brainbox too."

"She gets that from Anna," Luke shrugged. "You ready for this?" They paused outside the twins' bedroom. Preparing for what could be about to come.

"Solidarity baby," Lorelai nodded forcefully and the stepped inside the twins' bedroom. It was as ever, chaos. Lorelai had given up trying to keep it clear, because her two girls just had a habit of destroying any tidiness in seconds when they started their next thing. At this precise moment Kitty was trying to do some kind of acrobatic move and Willow was hunched over her desk scribbling furiously with a pencil. "Ok beautiful ones, time for bed."

Kitty collapsed into a heap and then jumped to her feet, the eight-year-old frowning in displeasure. "You just turned out Sam's light and we're a whole 4 years older than him."

"No, you are not," Lorelai scurried over to the girl and started to cajole her towards her bed. "You are 3 years and ten months older than him." she smiled cheekily as Kitty responded by rolling her eyes. "Besides I said time for bed, that means get into bed. We can read for a bit."

"I can read to myself Mommy," Willow told her finishing what she was doing and coming over to the bed.

"Woah," Luke captured her by her wrist, "lets go wash your hands."

Lorelai grimaced as she took in Willow's hands, the soft pink skin coloured silver from her drawing. She shook her head as she helped Kitty climb into bed. "You want me to read to you Bubba?"

"Ok," Kitty gave a faint shrug. "You pick."

Lorelai moved over to the bookcase and selected Charlie and the Chocolate factory. The books were Willow's, but she had read all of them and had recently started on Harry Potter so there was no danger of being accused of spoilers. Moving back to the bed Lorelai curled herself around Kitty and began to read. She had only read through the first line when Luke came back with Willow.

"Can I read to everyone Mommy?" Willow offered hopefully.

Lorelai glanced at Kitty who gave a soft shrug. She closed the book and snuggled in close to Kitty, taking the child in her arms and holding her close. "Go ahead Honey Bunch we're ready."

"Ok," Willow gave her a beaming smile and then looked expectantly at Luke. Obediently he sat on the end of her bed and Willow selected her reading book, an already well read looking copy of Matilda. "I'll read this. I can do this one out loud well."

"Don't give yourself a headache, trying to be like her," Lorelai told her knowingly and Willow blushed slightly.

"I know it's only pretend Mommy," Willow told her with an air of resignation and then slowly began to read clearly and with no hesitations.

Lorelai allowed herself to sink into the bed and smiled as she felt Kitty curl in as close to her as was physically possible. She looked across to Luke at the foot of Willow's bed and caught his eye, sharing a knowing moment as Willow read on.

When Willow finished the first chapter Luke leaned forward and tapped the book. "Just read to yourself now Wills, Kits is almost asleep."

"Not," Kitty mumbled, sleepily pressing her head into Lorelai's chest.

Lorelai held her a moment longer, tenderly rubbing her hand up and down Kitty's back until she felt Kitty's breath shift into sleep and she carefully extricated herself from Kitty's embrace. "Ten minutes more, then lights out," she whispered to Willow who had closed the book and grabbed her copy of the first Harry Potter book.

"Ok Mommy," Willow smiled and nestled into the covers with her book.

Lorelai kissed Willow on the forehead. "Love you from the tip of your toes to the top of your head."

"Love you too Mommy," Willow smiled and held her cheek out to Luke who kissed her softly. "Night Daddy."

Lorelai hovered for Luke at the end of the bed and then allowed him to usher her out of the bedroom when he had finished saying goodnight to Willow. She grinned as he pulled the door closed and then raised her hands above her head. "Victory!"

"Seems so," Luke nodded, he smiled as Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck. "Was Rory OK?"

Lorelai pulled a face. "Bored, fed up with her job and fed up with Spencer working so hard."

"Not saying Baltimore and me then?" Luke sighed ruefully.

Lorelai raised her eyebrows in surprise and then smirked. "I've infiltrated. The body snatch is complete."

"What?" Luke looked at her blankly. A rush of realisation flushed across his face, chased away quickly by a scowl. "You guys have got to stop watching those movies."

"Hey baby look at me! I'm the cutest chick…"

Luke silenced her with a kiss. "You will undo all our hard work, and you really shouldn't be singing the man's part."

"Yeah, I know, it kind of ruined Pulp Fiction for me." Lorelai grinned at him. "Do you want to go to bed also?"

"Love to but I gotta get back to the diner to close up," Luke sighed tiredly. "Jeannie is on tonight."

"You need a new Lane," Lorelai shook her head. "I've got paperwork to finish too. I get to pick some new fabric for curtains."

"Why?"

"Somebody did something gross to the ones in room 9 and they don't make the ones we have anymore. " Lorelai grimaced. She kissed him again. "It's cheaper for me to make them, then buy or get made. Go close up and come back quick."

"Sure thing crazy lady," Luke's hand trailed around her waist. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Hun," Lorelai paused to let him go down the stairs first. As she went to follow him movement caught her eye and she gave a defeated sigh as Grace stepped out of her bedroom rubbing her eyes.

"Mommy" the child mumbled and looked at her hopefully.

"Come on Shortcake," Lorelai rounded the steps to begin round two of bedtime. "Back into Bed."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi Mom, I'm sorry we're late," Lorelai smiled apologetically at Emily as she scurried into the foyer of her parents' house. "We were having a debate over rain boots," Lorelai lowered a shoeless Grace to the floor. "Mommy won, kind of." She quickly undid Grace's coat and slipped it off the child's arm and then stood up. Immediately the three-year-old slammed into her legs and wrapped her arms tightly around her legs. "I'm sorry I think this is going to be a short dinner, we're on icecap watch."

"Ice cap," Emily looked at her in confusion, holding her hand out to take Grace's coat. "oh, the m word."

The two women raised their eyebrows as the sound of Sam squealing excitedly and Richard laughing ebulliently slid through from the living room. "Your father has been ebaying, he found this ridiculous toy for Sam. Don't worry I got something for everyone else," Emily foisted the coats she was holding onto the maid and then beckoned Lorelai through to the living room.

Unable to move with her youngest wrapped around her legs Lorelai bent over and hauled the child into her arms. "Dad eBay's?"

"Oh yes, his new obsession," Emily rolled her eyes. She paused and regarded Lorelai and Grace. "Gracie would you like to see what Grandma got for you?"

Grace lifted her eyes from Lorelai's shoulder and smiled sweetly. "Present?"

"Yes, a present," Emily smiled indulgently.

Grace excitedly flexed her legs and Lorelai lowered her to the ground so the child could run to Emily and Lorelai finally entered the living room to find the twins kneeling on the ground beside a 3ft dinosaur toy that Sam was sitting on. The little boy was grinning from ear to ear. "What is … Oh my god it moves!" Lorelai pressed her hand to her chest in horror. "What is that?"

"This is Kota the Triceratops," Richard gushed excitedly. "I put in triceratops toys knowing how much Samuel loves them and this popped up and I knew I had to get it."

"It's cool," Kitty smiled up at her. "You can feed it."

"Fortunately, it doesn't have a working digestive system." Emily rolled her eyes and sat on the couch. The older woman lifted Grace onto the couch beside her and then clapped her hands. "Girls I have some presents for you also." She smiled as the twins rushed over and then handed the girls a parcel each.

Lorelai sank into the seat beside Grace and gave a tired sigh as the three girls opened their gift to reveal a gymnastics ribbon for Kitty, a craft kit for Willow and fairy wings for Grace. "What do you say?" The kids echoed off a round of thank yous, all scrambling to undo the packaging while the males in the room continued to play with the giant toy. "That's staying here right?" Lorelai nodded towards the dinosaur. She leant forward to help Grace put on her fairy wings.

Emily nodded stiffly. "It's going upstairs as soon as you leave tonight. I've had the awful thing staring at me for three days," she shook her head in frustration. "Before you leave tonight I need you to double check the guest list for Rory's 30th party. She was rather vague about who to invite from Stars Hollow."

"Sure Mom." Lorelai nodded. She frowned as Grace scrambled into her lap and fixed her with a serious stare.

"My foot is cold," the child announced.

"That's why Mommy wanted you to wear shoes," Lorelai fluffed the fairy wings.

"Only this one," Grace pointed down at her right foot.

Lorelai looked down at Grace's sock covered foot and nodded. "Ok. Do you want to go put on your slipper?"

"Yes," Grace nodded intently. "Just for this one."

"Ok," Lorelai stood lifting the child with her and settling her on her hip. "Mom I'm going to get Grace's one slipper," she flicked her eyes skywards. "You might want to get that list, pretty quick. And maybe skip the salad."

"Mommy," Willow rolled her eyes. "Daddy won't like it if we skip the salad."

"Neither would Grandma," Emily gave Lorelai a teasing look.

"Oi with the vegetables," Lorelai threw her free arm up in the air.

"Yuck," Grace shook her head with a little giggle.

"You like vegetables," Kitty flicked her ribbon in excitement, nearly catching the polyester fabric in the flames in the hearth. The child scowled as Lorelai reached to take the apparatus away.

"Away from open flame please," Lorelai gave her daughter a meaningful look. "Seriously Mom, get the list."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Lukes," Luke barked down the phone in the diner, catching it after three rings as he balanced dirty plates in the crook of his arm.

"Hi Dad."

Luke smiled and then frowned at the sound of April's voice with an undertone of bass. "Hey Apes. Are you in a disco or something?"

"Or something, not least because I don't think there are discos anymore." April made an amused noise which morphed into a mildly frustrated sigh. "Downstairs are having a floor party. It started at one. I, like many other seniors, and juniors for that matter are currently in the throes of having the first assignments of the semester due in. I believe the only thing that has currently prevented the hockey guy from across the way from committing homicide is he doesn't want to have to deal with the cops."

"They've been having a party for almost 8 hours." Luke shook his head. He had only been listening to the bass for a minute and it was already bugging him. "Why didn't you go to a library?"

"I did after my class until seven thirty. And then I came back and ate, but the paper I have to have in on Monday and it's currently raining like God told Noah to build an ark out there and I don't want to walk all the way back to the library."

"You want me to get you some ear plugs?" Luke grimaced as the noise increased.

"Ear plugs do not work because they do not cancel out the vibration. I'm waiting until 10 and then calling campus security," April sighed. "As I can't concentrate I figured you might be free. It's nearly closing right?"

"Yeah," Luke looked round the diner, three tables halfway through the meals. "Just waiting for the last to go. I've done my prep for tomorrow so just waiting to clean up and cash up."

"Lorelai and the young ones at Grandma and Grandpa's?"

Luke nodded and then scowled at himself for being stupid. "Yeah. Lorelai keeps sending me these obnoxious emo picture things. I'm not really sure what it means but someone is a monster and a cat is on fire."

"Grandpa bought Sam a dinosaur toy and Kitty nearly set the house on fire." April translated, "Just read it like those puzzles we used to do when I was little and then think of how Lorelai talks. It's the family chat thread. I'm on it too."

"You are?" Luke stared at the cell phone he had been given at the previous Christmas by Lorelai. It was supposed to be so they could all stay better connected. It was more complicated than the big white computer he had upstairs in the office. Nine months on, he had yet to figure out even a quarter of what it did. "You don't say…message…text…whatever it's called."

"I figure it's rhetorical. If she actually wants anything from me she will call or send me a message directly."

Luke snorted in amusement. "Probably. She doesn't often need an audience," April echoed his snort of amusement. "So what class is your paper for?"

"Environmental Biology, it's about Limnology."

"Right," Luke mumbled. He had stopped asking April what her papers were about part way through her freshman year at college, he didn't understand the words in the question let alone the question and her answers would confuse him even more. So now he simply asked her about length and how she was doing in relation to the deadline. "Is it a long one?"

"2000 words, it's a gentle ease in paper."

"How much you done?"

"About a thousand. Providing the discotheque quietens down I should be OK." April gave a soft sigh. "Did you talk to Lorelai yet?"

Luke exhaled heavily. "No," He reached to scratch his forehead.

"Dad," April admonished

"I know, I know," Luke sighed again. "I'm going to. I just need to find the right time. And Grace is fine really."

"But it doesn't help her developmentally if Lorelai continues to infantilise her. She is not a baby anymore Dad. It bugs you." April told him softly. "Bugs you enough that you've said something to me. Even if you didn't mean to."

"I know," Luke pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose. "Grace plays up to it."

"Of course she does. In case you hadn't noticed we aren't dunces in the family." April chuckled lightly.

Luke opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a massive bang, and April swearing, "What was that? You OK?" He was answered only by the sound of April opening the door and footsteps. "April!"

"Yeah, Hockey guy is off to commit his… holy shit!"

"April!" Luke barked, his nervousness increasing as the music abruptly stopped and the sound of shouting sounded over the phone. His worry was obvious as his remaining customers looked up at him in concern. "April?"

"He just smashed up the sound system." April hissed down the phone. "Dad I think I'm going to have to go."

"Go back to your room, until campus security get there, stay safe." Luke told her, mentally considering what he had to do to get the hockey guy away from April. "April?"

"I'm going back up Dad." April told him over the sound of her footsteps and muffled shouting. "I'm fine," she told him at the sound of the door closing. Moments later a loud screeching noise sounded over the phone. The fire alarm.

Luke took a deep breath. "April go back to the library."

"Grabbing my coat and bag as we speak," April's voice sounded tinny, there was a rustle and her voice came back clearer though muffled by the screeching alarm. "I'm going Dad."

"I'm staying on with you until you get there."

"Dad I'm fine," April protested. Luke let out a huff of frustration and she sighed back in response. "I don't really have anything to talk about unless you want me to talk about limnology."

"Talk about it." Luke looked up as one of his customer approached him with their empty plates and set them on the counter. "Start with what the hell limnology is."

* * *

 **xXx**

With barely suppressed exasperation, Lorelai rushed into the kitchen of the Dragonfly. It was a hive of activity, with prepared dishes on one side and prep for ones not yet completed on the other. Sookie stood in the middle of the chaos directing and tasting, all the while guarding the pristine pearlescent white cake that she had spent the last two days painstakingly completing with an intricate lace pattern of piping. Not wanting to disrupt what was going on Lorelai stood in the doorway and sent distress signals to her friend.

"Manny take a cup of coffee to Lorelai," Sookie pointed at Lorelai for the briefest of moments. "The timer is for the Roquefort puffs take them out, put the chicken skewers in to warm. We're nearly ready."

"She isn't," Lorelai hissed in frustration. "Thank you," she thanked Manny as the sous chef thrust a cup of coffee in her hands and then whipped past her to tend to something else. "They are still taking photographs."

"Of what?" Sookie wrinkled her brow. "Even with the extended friend package that Rollo offers, photographs at a maximum take an hour.

"She wants to be photographed with every tiny detail, which means we have to send all the guests out of the dining room and reset so it all looks perfect." Lorelai took a sip of the overly hot coffee and bounced in frustration. "I hate to say it but Michel was right. This one is more trouble than she is worth. Thank god for Arielle, she's resetting the dining room as we speak and I am trying to bring my murderous rage down a notch."

"Should you have coffee?" Sookie paused to look at her for a moment before returning her attention back to the food.

"It's the only thing keeping me from kicking that bridezilla up the Coachella and the only thing keeping me standing."

"Bad Night. Kids?"

"April, well, Luke. There was an issue at her dorm last night and Luke's Dad sense was triggered and he would not come down from the ceiling," Lorelai drained her cup and gagged slightly as the onslaught of bitterness washed over her quicker than she anticipated. "Everything is fine but you know how he can get."

"Sure do." Sookie smiled faintly. "I know you are manically busy but did you see my leave email?"

"Yeah, a workshop looking at dirt, sounds fun," Lorelai mumbled sarcastically, "or is that a euphemism for you and Jackson getting dirty with the kids packed off to the grandparents?"

"It's a workshop but you never know if we have free time," Sookie smiled again. "So it's cool?"

"We have no weddings. I've blocked it out so nothing major gets booked, so as long as the rest of the team can handle the restaurant, it's cool," Lorelai nodded and looked wantonly at the coffee machine.

"Not for another hour," Sookie called performing some kind of pirouette as she slipped between her staff to taste some dishes on the burners before arriving back in position to guard the cake. "You've already had 3 cups here today which means you've already had six today and I made it extra strong to get us through the day."

"Mean," Lorelai pouted.

"Have a cookie," Sookie pointed to a tray on the side. "You too Arielle."

Lorelai turned at the mention of the weekend deputy manager. The tiny birdlike young woman was coming through the doorway with a slightly frazzled look. "Is it reset?"

"Yes," Arielle nodded. "But she wants to take pictures with Cletus."

"For the love of Hades," Lorelai rolled her eyes. She took a step towards the door paused, reached back to grab two cookies and then resumed her course out of the kitchen. "Thanks Sook. Right send the guests back into the dining room. I will go see if Sir is feeling photogenic."

* * *

 **xXx**

It was 10pm before Lorelai managed to pull herself away from the wedding party and stumble the few hundred yards from the Dragonfly entrance to home. She slipped inside and breathed a sigh of relief, all was quiet except for the faint sound of tv. Instinctively she looked towards it and smiled. Luke was sat watching sports. He glanced over the back of the couch and gave her an easy smile but didn't say anything. Instead he gave her the few moments she needed to decompress after her frenetic days. Kicking her shoes off she entered the living room and sunk into the couch beside him. She curled into the soft worn couch like a cat, tucking her feet beneath her which automatically pitched her towards Luke. With a soft exhalation of tiredness and thankfulness at being home, she rested her head on his shoulder and cuddled into him. After a moment his arm slid off the back of the couch and wrapped her into his embrace. "What are we watching?"

"Highlights," Luke told her, taking a sip from a beer.

When he lowered it, he held it towards her and she took a sip. "Thanks." She handed him his beer back and then rested her hand on his chest, enjoying the gentle stroking motion he was performing down her back.

"So," Luke whispered when the commercials rolled on. "Long day."

"Very!" Lorelai exhaled in exhaustion. "A Bridezilla, the absolute worse. I wasn't like that was I?"

"Nah, you were just you," Luke mumbled. Lorelai made a squeak of indignation and he cleared his throat. "I just meant you have a way of getting what you want and you know we had a lot going on because of twins. But you were normal bride not a bridezilla."

"Good save," Lorelai wriggled slightly. "God, that seems so long ago. How are they 8? How is Rory 30? In 3 weeks I am going to be mother to a 30 year old. I can't be that old."

"Yeah, but you were like really young when you had her so you're not that old," Luke squeezed her back slightly.

"My infantile manner keeps me young," Lorelai slid her eyes up to look at him. Luke was performing a similar action his eyes sliding down to look at her with a nervous edge. "This is me giving you an in?"

"Did April say something?" Luke asked nervously, slowly rotating his beer bottle in his hand.

"Not exactly, but during the rant last night we were texting and she inferred and well, I don't know if you've noticed but I can be really smart and I pieced it together from the jaw thing you do," Lorelai teasingly raised her hand to stroke her forefinger along his jaw bone. "She plays up to it you know? She's the smartest of all of them."

"Even more then Rory and April?"

"Oh yeah," Lorelai nodded, lifting herself away from him so she could look at him properly. "She's reading by herself. You know how she wants to turn the page before you finish."

"I thought it was because she wants to see the next picture," Luke reached forward to grab the remote so he could turn the tv off.

"Nope, she's read the page. She told me off for being slow and then read the last line on the page to me. She tells me off if I miss a word," Lorelai sighed heavily. "It's just, if she's not a baby then it's all going too fast. I don't want them to grow up. Beside the fact that it does mean we would have to admit our age, it also means that that phase of our life is over, and we hurtling towards the next one when they all leave us." She tucked her bare feet back under her calves and leaned forward towards him. "I don't get things my way. If I did everything would stay just as it was."

Luke took a deep breath, his shoulders drawing up towards his ears before dropping them down and rounding them in in defeat. "I know."

"It's all going too fast," Lorelai lamented. "We're all too busy and I don't want to miss anything."

"We won't," Luke told her. He reached out and pulled her closer to him.

Lorelai responded by lifting up onto her knees and then falling forward to lie across him. She wriggled to get comfortable, finding that place she always found that fit her to him perfectly. "I'll try and stop babying her. I don't mean to, but, she gives me the eyes and I can't help it."

Luke gave a faint barely perceptible nod and then a snort of amusement. Lazily he stroked his fingers down her arm. "She learned that from us. You give me the eyes and I turn stupid."

"You're cute when you're stupid," Lorelai whispered struggling to keep her eyes open and Luke's gentle touch pulled her into a feeling on contentment, where all the troubles of today just melted away and she felt warm and safe which in turn meant sleep was easier to succumb to. She smiled as Luke kissed her forehead and she snuggled into him tightly.


	2. Our Little Kitten

**AN - Thank you guys, so pleased you are happy to read more, I've missed writing them. so new chapter, as ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy, x**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Our Little Kitten**

"Lucas, Lucas, Lucas."

Luke looked up from his position outside the dance school where he was toeing the ground waiting for the Kitty's gymnastics class to finish. His nervousness rose as Patty stared down at him with the look that always made him think she was mentally undressing him. "Patty," he nodded with wary politeness.

"Come up here," Patty extended her arm and flexed her finger in a way that he supposed was supposed to be enticing. He clearly had a look of fear on his face because she gave a good natured chuckled. "That's how I like my men, hot and scared. I'm not going to bite Luke, just come look at your little gymnastics queen."

Nervously Luke made his way up the steps. Patty nodded in a direction and Luke followed her prompt. His eyes fell on Kirk who was at the back of the room in a far too tight leotard attempting to do a handstand. "Ah…" Luke stifled his exclamation and looked away before glancing at Patty. "Should he even be in a kids class?"

"Kirk pays more then anyone. He helps me keep my prices low for everyone else," Patty muttered lowly. "Ignore him, look at Kitty."

Luke looked back across the space. It took him a moment to pick out Kitty amongst the other girls, mainly because her hair was scraped back into a bun and there was no trace of her normally abundant chocolate curls. Once he picked her out he found his eyebrows raising in surprise as he watched her fling herself across the floor with absolutely no fear, handspringing across the space landing perfectly and raising her arms up to form a perfect line.

"She's too good for my class," Patty told him quietly. "Now I hate to send people elsewhere especially to her but I think you should speak to Shireen Barber in Woodbridge. Your little girl has a talent. It needs to nurtured." Patty raised her hand. "Before you start doing your dance out of this. Lola Collins big sister Harmony goes. Their Mom's name is Joanne," Patty nodded towards a woman stood staring at her phone intently. "Speak to her."

"Are you kicking her out?" Luke looked at Patty nervously.

"Oh goodness no," Patty grasped his bicep for a second longer then she needed to. "She can attend as long as she wants. Well at least until she turns eleven because this class is for 7-10 year olds, but my speciality is dance. I don't have the expertise to train Kitty further, and this is the age they want them from." Patty gave him a wrinkled nose smile and waved him off. "I need to close down the class."

"Right," Luke nodded, watching Kitty for a moment longer before turning and retreating down the steps. He hovered at the base of the steps silently running through their busy day and what going to Woodbridge could mean to an already hectic schedule. He sighed. This was too big a thing to work out on so little facts. it was a conversation that he needed to have with Lorelai, and then once they had all the facts see if it as something that Kitty actually wanted to do. Deep in thought he missed the first wave of children racing down the steps and missed Kitty's excited cry. As a result she ended up nearly killing him twice, firstly because of the shock of something small and relatively hard smacking into his back and secondly because she managed to wrap her arms around his throat and hang for a moment before she wrapped her legs around his torso. She slid from him and patted him the back as he rattled and gasped for air for a moment.

"Sorry Daddy," Kitty gave him an apologetic smile, "I thought you heard me."

Luke shook his head and then gave her a consolatory smile. "Yeah I didn't."

"Sorry," Kitty looked down sheepishly, after a moment she tucked her hand into his and looked up at him. "Daddy can we have donuts?"

"No, but we can take pie home for desert. I got peach or half an apple." Luke started to walk towards the diner smiling slightly as Kitty skipped alongside him despite the choked feeling still playing in his throat.

"Is it all the peach?" Kitty asked as she considered her choice, on Luke's nod she smiled. "Lets have the peach. If it's only half Mommy will eat it all."

"You know she only has my piece," Luke held the diner door open for Kitty and then followed her in. "You want a drink while I get ready?"

"No thank you." Kitty bounced across to the stool nearest the register and pulled herself into it. "Can I take my hair out? I feel like my eyes are gonna fall out."

"Did Mommy do that for you?" Luke studied Kitty's tight slicked back hair.

"Yep she said it's the horror of curly hair. It's just hurting my head." Kitty sighed. Her eyes slid across to the donuts hopefully.

Luke rolled his eyes knowingly. "You can have one on Saturday."

"Really?" Kitty perked up. "Cool."

"Yeah, cool." Luke reached beneath the counter to get a bakery box. "Undo your hair if you can, I got to talk to Ceser for a minute." He constructed the box and then scooped the untouched peach pie out from the cloche. Closing the box he set it in front of Kitty and then disappeared into the kitchen to run over everything with Cesar that could possibly happen in the hour he would be at home for dinner. With everything in hand he exited the kitchen to find that Kitty was having no joy with her hair and he gave her a sympathetic smile. "I can have a go or do you want to leave it to Mommy?"

"Leave it to Mommy." Kitty sighed. "She's got hair, she'll know what to do." With annoyed resignation Kitty slid off the stool and then reached up to gather the pie. "We got ice-cream at home right Daddy?"

"Yeah, we do," Luke sighed tiredly. "Your Mom would not let that be taken of the list. Come on." He ushered her out of the diner. He smiled softly to himself as Kitty trotted alongside him carefully carrying the box. When they reached the truck he grabbed the booster seat out of the back of the truck and positioned it on the passenger seat. Without waiting, knowing that Kitty's attention and focus was on the pie he lifted her up and then secured the seat belt around her. Once happy that she was safe he rounded the truck and got himself seated. Knowingly he glanced at Kitty. The child was still staring at the pie box. He pushed the key into the cylinder of the ignition and fired the truck up. As soon as he pulled out into the road, Kitty began to chatter, giving her best impression of Lorelai in that she essentially was holding the conversation with herself. Luke provided back channel commentary when needed to prove he was listening but Kitty kept up her stream of talk until she had walked through the front door at which point she abruptly stopped and let out a little giggle. Luke followed her line of sight and smiled. Lorelai was sat at the table working, her hair was up in a messy ponytail, her glasses were on and Grace had copied her. The 3 year old was wearing a pair of glasses made out of multi-coloured pipe cleaners and hair tried to match Lorelai's hairstyle.

"Hello Bubba," Lorelai called without looking up from the piece of paper she was working on. "Are you laughing at me or Gracie?"

"Grace," Kitty trotted into the kitchen and deposited the bakery box on the table. "Cool glasses," Kitty grinned at her sister. "Mommy can you take my hair out it's making my eyes fall out."

"Ew," Lorelai grimaced and looked up from her work. Deftly she unwound Kitty's hair and ran her fingers through the tresses, making the little girl hiss in discomfort. "Run around really fast, till it feels OK. We'll wash it later."

"Kay," Kitty raced off.

Luke grinned at Lorelai and she rolled her eyes

"Don't say anything," Lorelai hissed self-consciously pushing her glasses up her nose.

"I like it when you wear them," Luke told her moving over to the kitchen. "I thought you'd be done by now."

"I'm being particularly stupid today," Lorelai told him looking back at her work. She lowered her pen and then ran her hands over the paper before looking back up at him. "Miss Kemmel wants to have a meeting with us."

Luke paused. Slowly he let his hands continue opening the fridge and pulling out the bowl of chicken pieces he had left marinating this morning. "Do you know why?"

"Kitty, she didn't say anything else." Lorelai intoned and then rolled her eyes, an action copied by Grace. "It's best to discuss it then. But no one is in trouble."

"Why would she want to see us then?" Luke set the bowl down and looked at it. Miss Kemmel was the twin's third grade teacher. She was half his age and perkier then Lorelai was after three cups of coffee. The twins adored her, or they had done. Willow still did because Miss Kemmel had a book corner but Kitty had cooled in her adoration.

"Maybe the stubbornness thing again," Lorelai glanced towards the kitchen door to check no little affected ears were listening. "I set it up for Wednesday at 12. I know it's not great for you but the kids are at Hannah's so we don't need to find a babysitter."

"I'll make it work." Luke nodded he moved back to the fridge and stared at the contents. "You want baby potatoes or rice with that?" he nodded at the chicken. He smiled softly as Lorelai considered her choices, her brow creased in a mildly frustrated way which he knew meant she was resisting the urge to request fries. She opened her mouth and then closed it again and he looked away knowing that if she caught his eye she would end up requesting something unhealthy. He grabbed some vegetables from the crisper draw and pulled out the chopping board, quietly getting on with slicing tomatoes, celery, spring onions and pepper to blitz up into a sauce so that he could improve his families nutritional intake. He looked down as Grace sidled up. Her doll like face was upturned, her blue eyes as wide as possible and she had her hands clasped behind her back. After a moment she mimed drilling her toe into the ground and he waited.

"Daddy," Grace finally said, she looked down at the ground and then up at him. "Can the 'tatoes be kisspy and have the tasty green stuff?"

"What tasty green stuff?" Luke asked her carefully refusing to look over his shoulder knowing that Lorelai had sent Grace in her place.

Sure enough the 3 year old shrugged heavily and then pointed at Lorelai. "I don't know, that's just what Mommy sayed."

"Uggh," Lorelai sounded and rose from the table, she crossed around the counter and patted Grace on the shoulder. "Nice try Shortcake but we need to work on your undercover ops technique. Go play for a little bit," she waited until Grace scampered off and then looked at him. "The pesto stuff."

"I don't have any," Luke shook his head, "but I can bake the potatoes rather then boil them."

"Hmmm," Lorelai tipped her head to one side. "No chance of…"

"Nope," Luke cut her off, raising his eyebrows, telling her that he knew what she was going to ask.

"Fine," Lorelai sighed dramatically, "baked, at least then they will be crispy." She placed her hands on either of his neck and squeezed. "Why do you insist on feeding me healthily. Curse your love for me. There are days I miss my daily trip to Luke's for junk, my pizzas, my Chinese buffets."

"Your heart and immune system thank me," Luke shrugged out of her grip. He smiled as she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. As they broke apart he muttered. "Oh Patty wants Kitty to do proper gymnastics."

"That is what you think of when I kiss you?" Lorelai threw her arms up in mock despair, "and I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded, in the absence of anything unhealthy sneaking a hunk of celery because it was there. "I asked Kitty and she said no."

"Why not?" Luke looked at her curiously.

"At the moment she's the best. If she goes to that other people might be the best." Lorelai gave a faint shrug. "Plus it's fun and if you make it about winning it won't be fun."

"We're going with the second one right?" Luke frowned slightly.

"And working on the not trying for fear of failure," Lorelai nodded with a soft sigh. "I'll tell Patty no. But I think she knows, I'm sure it was just because she wanted to look at your ass."

Luke nearly caught his thumb with the knife, dropped the cutlery and turned to stare at her. "Out of my kitchen." He pointed out of the room. "Out now."

"Fine I have to go anyway. Willow wants to read Harry Potter with me because it's the scary bit," Lorelai smiled serenely at him. "Will you hold me if I get scared?"

"Sure," Luke shrugged non-committedly. After a moment he ducked as a packet of tissues flew through the air aimed at the back of his head. He turned with an impish knowing grin. "Out."

"Mean."

"I'll make it up to you later," Luke turned his attention back to the food.

Lorelai gave a trill of delight as she turned to leave the kitchen. "I'll hold you to that,"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai slumped into the driving seat of the minivan and then slowly turned to face the passenger seat. Luke had sat and was now staring out the windscreen a dazed look on his face. The meeting with the school had not been what they had expected. Or at least she had been expecting. She had been expecting the meeting to be about Kitty's stubbornness and disinclination to follow instruction and to argue her opinion when she thought they were unfair or unjust. It had come up a few times over the last three years of schooling. Something that warranted a mention as it emboldened some of the naughtier of her classmates; although the teachers had never categorised Kitty as naughty.

"Dyslexia?" Luke whispered breaking the silence in the car.

"Possibly," Lorelai quantified and then ran her hand over her face in desperation. Last year the class teacher had mentioned something to them in passing at a parent teacher conference about Kitty still putting letters back to front when she wrote, something that most children grew out of by this age. It had been a throw away remark, after two minutes of the teacher complaining about Kitty's stubborn streak. All the nice things had been perfunctory and quick, especially noticeable after the five minute of glowing praise that Willow had received with the only bad note, she could get a bit dreamy. It was a remark that Lorelai should have paid more attention to. Kitty had never been into books the way Rory and Willow were, had never sought them out to read them herself only when she was read to at night. Lorelai had never questioned it. Kitty was sporty and had a wild imagination that lead her to make up all kinds of crazy play, she was intuitive and fierce. She was just a different child to what she had experienced with Rory. All kids are different. "Oh God," she whispered and hung her head.

"She might not have it, they have to test her," Luke looked around at her.

Lorelai chewed her lip and then wiped her eyes, tears were burning there and she didn't want to cry.

"It's not…"Luke fumbled not sure what to say. "We should talk to Rory, she knows about educational stuff. It's probably not even a huge thing. If she has it, we can get her the right help."

Lorelai nodded vaguely but her mind was on other things. In another time period. Eight years in the past when she was dealing with so much information she clearly hadn't absorbed it all. When you're faced with your child almost dying and doesn't, you count your blessings, you don't question them. When you are told to watch for her milestones, you do. Kitty always hit them within normal schedule. But that statement. There might be some learning difficulties. It had all passed in a haze of happiness that Kitty was OK. That all they had to contend with was asthma. Nothing, in the grand scheme of she might not have been there at all. "This is my fault."

"What?" Luke reached out to her and rested his hand on her knee. "I'm the dumb one."

"You are not and having dyslexia does not mean you're dumb," Lorelai hissed with such venom that he lifted his hand for a moment. He returned it after an instant and she sighed. She felt like he was tethering her. "When she was a baby."

"When she was sick?" Luke blinked at her and then shook his head. "I thought they meant she could be retarded. Kitty's not retarded."

"That is what they meant," Lorelai whispered wiping her tears and then resting her damp hand on the one of his on her leg. "But..."

"Even if that was the cause it's not your fault. None of it was your fault. These things just happen," Luke frowned. "Besides. She might not have it. She might just be being a stubborn lazy kid. I was."

Lorelai looked at him slowly, he sounded totally unconvinced but she appreciated him trying.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai placed the leaflet the school had given her on the table and sighed. She and Luke had agreed that they would go through the information together, but she hadn't been able to resist. The leaflets were filled with information that was all whizzing around her head. She glanced at her phone. In the timeline of bedtime she was supposed to be going up to read to Sam. Luke was working tonight, unable to get home because Janine was sick so she was on her own. She reached for her phone, she needed to talk to someone who might possibly understand all this information and she knew she would not be able to project the calm comforting manner she needed to get Sam to go to sleep. Grace had picked up on her unhappiness and had been fractious so Sam would be also.

She pressed the contact button for Rory and then pressed the phone to her ear. It connected after only a few moments.

"Hey Mom!" Rory sounded brightly over the phone. "How's you? I had such a great day today. I have courses to write, we have a new student focus. It's kind of refreshing after the drudge the last few weeks have been."

Lorelai hesitated for a moment. Rory was happy. Invigorated. She didn't want to temper the moment but it was too late Rory had picked up on it. "Mom? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine Teach," Lorelai stated quietly. "Good about your courses."

"Yeah," Rory's voice warbled into concern. "What's going on? is everyone OK?"

"We had a meeting at the school today," Lorelai spoke quietly. "They want to test Kitty for Dyslexia." It was Rory's turn to be silent. Lorelai waited, letting the silence hang there for a moment. "We said they could do the preliminary test."

"Yeah," Rory murmured. "Depending on the results then they will send her for the proper assessment."

"Yeah?"

"It's to see what special assistance she needs," Rory's voice sounded clearer. "You know this doesn't really mean anything. There is so much technology and help available these days. It's to ensure she gets the appropriate allowances, longer on tests or perhaps she can read better on a different colour to white, so she would get overlays to use. Don't get yourself worked up. See what the preliminary assessment says and then go from there. It's all to help her you know. It's not a bad thing."

Lorelai sighed heavily. "I know."

"It's not your fault either so don't go down that street Missy. Reverse or do a very dangerous U-Turn," Rory tried to joke but her voice sounded flat. "It really isn't a bad thing Mom, it just means she processes written information differently to what is considered normal."

"I don't like my pancakes being…" Lorelai trailed off as she sensed movement in the doorway. Kitty was stood watching her, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Babes I have to go."

"Little ears?" Rory guessed.

"From the pancake," Lorelai told her quietly. "Thank you."

"Call me when you get the results," Rory requested. "I can help you navigate."

"Thanks Babes, Speak later." Lorelai closed the call and looked back at Kitty. "Hey Bubba, everything OK?"

"You're supposed to be reading to Sam," Kitty stated and walked into the kitchen, her eyes roving the leaflets on the table. "He came into our room."

Lorelai forced a smile on her face and quickly tidied away the stack. "I know, I was talking to Rory. You know how we get. Away with the fairies," Kitty gave an uncertain shrug and looked up at her. "Are you OK Bubba?" Lorelai asked carefully, unsure how much Kitty had overheard if anything.

Kitty considered the question and frowned. "Am I in trouble?"

"Trouble?"

"Jacob said he saw you and Daddy at school today at lunchtime," Kitty folded her arms mildly accusatorily. "Jacob said that he heard you talking about me."

"Well you know what they say about eavesdropping," Lorelai frowned. "Chinese's Whispers." She ran her hands down Kitty's head and then kissed her crown. "We had a meeting at the school, but you are not in trouble, it was just normal Mommy, Daddy and Teacher stuff."

Kitty raised her eyebrows to show disbelief. "Then why are you sad?"

"Oh KitKat," Lorelai crouched down. It was all going wrong. This was not supposed to be how it should be. It was not the right time so she did what she hated doing. She lied by omission. "I'm tired, I had a busy day at work and I only managed to have 3 cups of coffee at work today."

"Uh Oh," Kitty opened her eyes dramatically, "And no Daddy."

"No Daddy," Lorelai agreed, "You think you can carry me upstairs? I'm super tired."

"Not carry," Kitty shook her head and then smiled, "maybe drag you but that would hurt."

"Agreed, no dragging. Unless it's my wardrobe choices which can always be commented on in an analytical manner," Lorelai stood up and smoothed Kitty's hair again.

"I like your clothes," Kitty shrugged and stood back to let Lorelai went first. "Even the silly ones."

"I do not wear silly clothes," Lorelai started up the stairs, she paused as Kitty gave a snort of amusement. "I do not wear silly clothes, except maybe costumes but the clue is in the name inspector."

"Mommy," Kitty stated staidly. "You're wearing Dave on your t-shirt. His eyes look like…" the child paused for a moment and then leaned forwards conspiratorially, "nipples," she giggled nervously. "It's a silly shirt."

"Wha…?" Lorelai intoned, mimicking the yellow tictac shaped blob from one of the kid's favourite movies. Kitty giggled again and then trotted up the stairs. "Ok so maybe this shirt is silly," Lorelai conceded. "Does his eyes really look like…"

"Yup" Kitty cut her off and paused at the top of the step. "Daddy can't stop looking at them when you wear them. It's kind of gross."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "It is not kind of gross. In fact, I appreciate it. Things have drifted a lot lower then I would like but, I have you four so I can't complain."

"And Rory," Kitty added after a moment.

"Yeah but that was different," Lorelai pushed Kitty towards the bedroom door. "Sixteen is sixteen everything is perfect even after babies. But after twenty-five, oh boy, it's all downhill."

Kitty paused in the doorway and looked up at Lorelai and then at Willow. Her twin sister looked up from the book she was reading to her younger brother. "I thought Mommy was forty?" Willow nodded and then made a gesture to indicate higher, that Lorelai was older. Kitty gave a faint sigh of annoyance and then looked back at Lorelai. "Your math is wrong Mommy."

"I know I know," Lorelai rolled her eyes, "but as Grandma will instil in you, a real lady never tells her age," she smiled as the children giggled. "Now now I'm a lady. You sir are not though. Come on Little man, it's bed time and your sisters want their bedroom back." She reached her hands out and ushered Sam out of the twins' bedroom so she could continue with the bedtime routine, and got him read to and away in the land of nod before returning back to the twins room and trying to corral them into bed. After a longer then normal bout of negotiations the twins ended up with fifteen extra minutes of book and Lorelai carefully read them the opening chapters of James and the Giant Peach before they finally gave in to tiredness and she was able to slip out of the room and downstairs once more. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she smiled faintly. At some point Luke had come home and without taking his jacket off had taken up in her place at the table, his shoulders hunched as he read through one of the leaflets they had been given. Wordlessly Lorelai crossed to him and carefully took off his cap, setting it to one side and kissing the top of his head. He waited until she sat before he said anything just staring at her with his jaw clenched.

"You closed early," Lorelai broke the silence.

"I needed to be here, but I could hear you reading so I didn't want to undo the hard work," Luke told her softly, closing the leaflet and hiding it flat against the table beneath his large palm. "How was everything?"

"I spoke to Rory," Lorelai told him quietly. "She told me not to worry about it. It's a good thing they are testing her."

"Yeah," Luke nodded slowly and looked down at the leaflet. "They say it's genetic."

"But neither of us have it," Lorelai told him softly.

"Dad," Luke whispered quietly. "That's why he used to write in block capitals and he always used to get Mom to read everything. Uncle Louis used to tease him about it. I think maybe he had it," Luke smoothed his hand across the leaflet.

"Hun," Lorelai ran her fingers through his hair. "If's, buts and maybes. It's going to be OK. They'll do the thing on Friday and we can go from there," she sighed heavily "I'm tired. You wanna come up and share a shower."

"Share a shower. I'm not sure that will help with the tired."

"No." Lorelai smiled, "but," she quirked her eyebrows, "It might make us feel better."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai glanced warily at Kitty as the child slumped into the hard couch in her parents living room. Kitty's arms slammed across her chest and the worst kind of scowl formed. Still shepherding the younger two into the living room, she tried to catch her parent's eyes. Her mother found hers instantly. Emily's dark eyes narrowed the slightest amount and then widened in question. Lorelai shook her head an infinitesimal amount and the silent communication that she and her mother had developed in relation to the children worked. Emily's Grandma Sense went full blown and she leant back in her seat as if nothing was wrong.

"Hasn't it been cold?" Emily plumped for the safest of topics. "It seems to get earlier and earlier each year. I shall have to look out some lovely hats and mittens for you all."

"Can we have fingers Grandma?" Willow asked hopefully balancing on the edge of the couch and looking at Emily in rapt awe. "Fingers makes things easier."

"Well, I suppose they do," Emily nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we could go and choose some, us girls. Would you like that Kitty?"

Kitty answered by shrugging, her scowl darkening as Willow gave an excited bounce to turn to look at Lorelai.

"Mommy, can Kitty and me go shopping with Grandma?"

Lorelai responded by shrugging to and sat down pulling Grace onto her knee. "We can work something out. You guys have got so many birthday parties to go to. Christmas rush," Lorelai flexed her eyebrows at Emily. Willow sent her a confused look as did Grace. The small child tilting her head up to look at her in disbelief. Neither children understanding why she was talking about Christmas at the end of September. "But if you wanted Mom, you could come by after school and pick the girls up and do shopping around Stars Hollow."

"We shall set something up," Emily nodded and then held her arms up. "May I have a cuddle from my Gracie." Lorelai let Grace slide from her lap and the three-year-old trotted round the table to join Emily. "You like mittens don't you," Emily hauled Grace onto her lap with a faint grunt of effort and then tenderly stroked the child's hands. "I have the most beautiful pair upstairs that used to be Mommy's they might fit. Would you like them?" Grace nodded excitedly and happily Emily cuddled the child.

"What about me?" Sam piped up, his subconscious seemingly picking up on the fact that his sisters were getting treats, even though he was currently looking at a brand new book that Richard had purchased for him.

Lorelai opened her mouth to cut across and change the subject and then it struck. The death knell. Her father oblivious to the silent message to not mention Kitty's mood blundered in. No longer distracted by his beloved grandson and the conversation about dinosaurs, Richard let out an amused chuckle.

"Oh Kitty, I hope the wind doesn't change or your face will stay like that," Richard beamed jovially.

Lorelai winced internally, she knew that there would be more, that that was just his opening salvo, but she knew he had underestimated Kitty's anger and her speed.

"Shut up," Kitty hissed.

Lorelai winced visibly this time. Her father looked like he had been slapped. His wide face reddening, his blue eyes widening and clouding with shock and anger.

"Shut up all of you," Kitty jumped to her feet. "Just shut up!" The little girl clenched her fists, jumped to her feet and then gave a little screech and turned and stomped out of the room.

"I…I," Richard blustered and looked up at Lorelai for answers.

Willow got there first. "Kitty had to take a test, she's mad because she's the only one. She's really mad and really upset. She doesn't want to talk about it," Willow shot a warning look first at Richard and then at Lorelai. She rose to follow Kitty.

"I got this Honey bunch," Lorelai told Willow softly. "You help Grandma and Grandpa with Grace and Sam OK?"

"Mommy," Willow frowned. "I'm her sister."

"I know," Lorelai eased Willow back onto the couch. "She'll need you later. Let her be mad at me."

With a sigh from Willow Lorelai followed Kitty's path. She had tried to get to the door but had found her way blocked by the maid going about her business and so had detoured taking refuge under the piano.

"Bubba?" Lorelai approached the piano cautiously. She bent over and tapped lightly on the wood. "Can I come in?"

"No," Kitty hissed, her anger giving way to tears that she was valiantly trying to fight.

"Can I sit right here then?" Lorelai sat on the floor and peered under the piano. She forced herself to remain calm as Kitty sent her a slappingly reproachful look. "So?"

"Mommy," Kitty sighed tiredly, "I'm too mad at you."

"Why are you mad Bubba?" Lorelai asked carefully folding her hands into her lap and tipping her head to one side.

"You said I wasn't in trouble," Kitty scowled at her. "But I had to take a test because I'm…I'm stupid."

"No Bubba, you are not stupid," Lorelai told her calmly. "And you are not in trouble. The teachers gave you the test because they want to help you."

"Jacob said…"

"Jacob can be the one to shut up," Lorelai cut off Kitty before she could delve into the mean hateful words of some over important 8-year-old. "Jacob doesn't know his asp from his egret," she quirked her eyebrows as Kitty gave a micro smile, the tiniest twitch of her lips. "Ignore him, he's a mean old busy body."

"He's a Mr Doose wannabe," Kitty sighed in agreement. "Except Mr Doose can be nice sometimes."

"If he gets exactly what he wants," Lorelai nodded, she used the pause to slide slightly closer to Kitty.

"Jacob's sandpaper," Kitty sounded and gave a sigh. "Like Beyoncé said in that movie."

"Sure," Lorelai nodded, not sure what movie Kitty was talking about. She smiled as Kitty unfolded her arms and very slowly turned to face her.

"I don't understand," Kitty told her softly.

"What bit don't you understand?" Lorelai asked carefully. They had this morning sat with Kitty while the school psychologist explained the reason for the test to Kitty. Kitty had acknowledged she understood what was going on, so she and Luke had left as requested only for a blazingly angry Kitty to appear at the end of the day.

"Why am I…" Kitty paused and frowned clearly struggling to find another word to use then stupid. "stupid but not stupid?" she settled on and her shoulders slumped.

Lorelai held out her hands and Kitty took them and used them to pull herself into Lorelai's lap. "You, my gorgeous one, are not stupid," she kissed Kitty's crown. "The teachers just think you are wired differently."

"Like how I can do gym but others can't?" Kitty asked snuggling tightly into Lorelai's chest.

"A Bit. It's how you see and read things, you process them differently."

"So, like Willow can just read a book and I find it hard?" Kitty requalified.

"Yes, that is it," Lorelai nodded. Tenderly she stroked Kitty's arm and kissed her crown once more. "Your brain works differently, or the teachers think it does. They need to work out how it works so they can make sure you have the right time and the right tools. When you have those there will be no stopping you. It's like Mommy needing to wear glasses sometimes."

Kitty sighed heavily, silently processing what they had just said. Lorelai gently rocked the child from side to side, feeling like she could hear the processing of information going on within Kitty's brain. After an interminably long silent minute Kitty let out another heavily sigh. "Mommy?"

"Yes Bubba?"

"I can't hit Jacob can I?"

"No," Lorelai smirked "But you can outsmart him with sass. We are quick of wit in this family and we do salty marinated don't mess with us really well." She smiled as Kitty let out an amused purr. "Grandma is really good at it at zingers, I bet if you ask nicely she will help you."

"I need to say sorry," Kitty whispered.

"Give Grandma and Grandpa a big hug and a kiss," Lorelai told her rubbing her arm. "Now you wanna go wash your hands, Grandma is bound to have a nice fancy dinner for us."

"One minute," Kitty mumbled pressing her face into Lorelai's shoulder and hugging her tightly. And then, just like that the little girl jumped up and trotted towards the bathroom.

Lorelai gave a sigh of relief and then looked around as Emily, who had obviously been paying absolute attention from the living room led the other children towards the bathroom and ushered them through.

"Lorelai?"

"They are testing her for dyslexia," Lorelai told Emily simply, not seeing the point of sugar coating it. She watched Emily for a moment, her mother's familiar tensing of the shoulders when she found something unpalatable.

After a moment Emily shook herself. "Well when we know for sure let me know. I have contacts through the foundation. I'm certain I can get any software she might need discounted," Emily gave a curt nod and then followed the children into the bathroom.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke glanced out the top of his eyes as a woman barged into the diner with an over dramatic slam of the door. She stopped dead centre in front of the till and glowered at him. Slowly Luke looked up from the piece of paper he was working up and returned her gaze with bored indifference. He vaguely recognised the blonde woman as someone from the twins' school. PTA or something. A face of an overfed eight-year-old boy appeared from behind her, a self-satisfied smirk that screamed 'you're in trouble now' plastered all over it.

"Sit wherever you want," Luke gestured to the diner, not going to play the game.

"How dare your mother in law speak to my son in that manner," the woman hissed.

Luke snorted. "Emily? What Emily has to say has nothing to do with me. Even when it has something to do with me," he shrugged dismissively and reached beneath the counter. "If you wanna sit, sit. If not this is a business, so go away." He stared the woman down. Emily had picked the twins up from school today to do some shopping with them. He was expecting them at the diner within an hour, probably with more than just winter accessories.

"Your mother in law was unspeakably rude," The woman tried again.

"She can be." Luke shrugged. "I stand by my previous statement, Sit down or go away."

"I want to know what you are going to do about it."

"Nothing," Luke shrugged again. "I already told you. What Emily says has nothing to do with me. And if she has said something it's obviously deserved. So you must have said something to my daughter." He resisted the urge to smirk as the woman seemed to recoil in horror. "Lemme guess you are Jacob," he pointed his pen at the little boy who's smirk was going south. "Which means you're the nasty little, well I mean character wise not size wise, kid who's been making Kitty feel bad. Butting in where you aren't wanted. Picking on her because the school is running SLD tests on her. Discriminating against her. Bullying her." He raised his eyebrows and stared the blonde woman down. Her face had gone slack and she seemed genuinely flabbergasted with what Luke had said. Luke paused for a moment, giving the mother the benefit of the doubt. That maybe her righteous indignation had meant that she had not asked her little darling what he had done to earn whatever it was that Emily had said. She remained stock still. Just staring at Luke with wide eyes. Luke folded his arms. "Now," Luke leaned back for a moment. "Emily Gilmore may be rude at times but she's only going to direct it at a kid if they are attacking her grandbabies. So I reckon you might what to have a chat with Jacob over what he's done to deserve it." The mother blinked at Luke, seemingly resisting the urge to turn around and look at the chubby little boy. The boy in question's eyes had turned wide and any trace of the smirk had gone. His round face was reddening and he looked like he was about to turn on the waterworks. "Now. Unless you are going to order anything, get out of my diner."

The woman blinked again. Finally she moved, turning on the spot and grabbing hold of her son to drag him out of the diner. Luke watched them leave with a note of bemusement, which increased as Emily and the twins came in the opposite direction, making the woman change tacks and Kitty and Willow gleefully waving at the boy. Luke caught the tail end of what they said as Emily stepped into the diner.

"Augustus?" Luke asked quietly as the twins scurried in.

"As in Gloop," Emily told him, looking mildly shamefaced. "Willow Precious, go use the bathroom. We're just here for a quick pit stop."

"Right. I don't get Augustus Gloop, what is that?" Luke asked, his eyes trailing over the shopping bags that the twins were carrying.

"The fat boy who falls in the chocolate river and gets stuck in the pipe because he's too fat Daddy," Willow explained dumping her bags. She giggled and smiled at him. "Grandma's taking us to the book store." She took off for the bathroom at the back of the diner.

Stifling a smirk Luke caught Kitty's eyes. "You only use that when he deserves it OK."

"I know Daddy," Kitty gave him a beaming smile and then grinned at Emily. "Grandma was amazing. Even Miss Kemmel laughed," her idol worshiping gaze drifted back from Emily to him. "She wasn't supposed too."

"No she wasn't," Luke agreed and finally smiled. "Just…"

"I know Daddy" Kitty flared her eyes for a moment. "Can I call Mommy to tell her" she giggled and scurried round the counter to grab the landline. "She's gonna laugh lots."


	3. Scrabble Age

**AN - Thank you guys, I'm so pleased you guys like it. Paola - It's more Kitty didn't give Richard a chance to respond, she's quick like her Mom :). Nancy - Luke was awesome :) EIIDSSM. One of the comments from the last story is that it was always Lorelai who was Mom, and Luke didn't get enough chance to Dad so I plan to even the parenting out and this was one of these moments. :). Anyways on we go. First proper Rory chapter. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – Scrabble Age**

"We're here," Gigi breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't get why we couldn't have flown?"

"Because Someone is going to get spoilt like crazy and we need the car," Spencer called over his shoulder as he parked the car alongside Luke's green truck. He pushed the car into park and echoed Gigi's sigh of relief. "Man, I hope I can walk up those steps."

"Coz you're so old Dad," Gigi smirked, the eleven-year-old pushed the rear passenger door open. "I'm using the bathroom first."

"I'm not old," Spencer pouted, not moving for a few moments, before slowly moving his shoulders and hissing in pain.

The journey from Baltimore had taken hours, an interminable crawl around all of the usual pinch points and snarls. They had set out early at 5.30 am in a vain hope that they would arrive by eleven but it was now approaching 2pm. Since their move to Baltimore over a year ago they nearly always flew when they made their almost monthly visit back to Connecticut but Christmas and Rory's birthday they drove because Emily's materialistic edge came out in spades.

"You are only as old as the person you feel," Rory mused with a soft pleased smile, a thought struck her and she frowned slightly.

"Gross!" Gigi sounded from the back and gave an overdramatic gagging sound while she pushed herself out of the car.

"Face because you're feeling an old Dad Bod person right? Because there is nothing gross about you," Spencer told her quietly with an appreciative smile.

Rory smile returned. "No, it's just the mug that Gigi got me said thirty is only 12 in scrabble, and that is gross."

"Because you feel twelve?" Spencer grimaced himself.

"I don't feel thirty," Rory sighed, she turned to look at him and gave a soft smile. "You don't have a Dad Bod," she patted his still relatively flat stomach. "Hairline maybe, but I add to that as much as she does," she ruffled his hair and then looked up towards the house. The family had filed out and Gigi was in the middle of hugging everyone. "Got the use of your legs yet?" Rory teased, grinning and waving as Lorelai trotted down the porch to meet them.

"I will by the time you've done hugging," Spencer told her.

Rory grinned and pushed out the car, in an instant her Mom had enveloped her in the strongest hug possible, making it impossible for Rory to move her arms, and almost impossible to breathe. "Mom, oxygen." Rory patted Lorelai's thighs in an attempt to get released. "Need it."

"Stupid biology," Lorelai released her. "Hey Kid."

"Hey," Rory grinned, she peered towards the house where her siblings stood awaiting her entry. "Sorry it took so long."

"I knew it would but you are here now," Lorelai rubbed Rory's arm, her bright smile no less diminished. "And we still have 4 hours to primp and perfect before we have to head over for Grandma's big shindig?"

"Is it that big?" Rory looked at Lorelai nervously. Her Grandmother, as with every 'milestone' birthday had insisted on throwing her a 30th birthday party. Emily had started talking about it back in July when the family had had their summer trip to the Lakehouse and it had been a fairly consistent topic of conversation since. At every opportunity Rory had tried to temper her grandmother's enthusiasm, insisted that it wasn't a huge deal but it seemed it would have fallen on deaf ears. "We're not talking like what she did for April's 21st right?"

"Several catering firms are remaining in business because of this party, not to mention balloon artists, and florists and chocolatiers," Lorelai bumped her hip against Rory's.

"I get balloons?" Rory raised her eyebrows.

"There is an archway," Lorelai smirked. She glanced over her shoulder and peered into the car at a still motionless Spencer. "Is he not getting out?"

"His back is playing up." Rory sighed. "Too much sitting hunched at work and then trying to be superman at home with the garden. I knew we should have gone for the townhouse. We're getting a gardener."

"You are getting staff!" Lorelai teased.

"No we are getting someone to cut the…fine. Yes. We are getting staff, because we should have bought the townhouse with the yard and not the colonial with the beautiful garden that requires soo much work. And both of us are useless at gardening. I killed the housewarming plants within a week," Rory rolled her eyes and then looked back at Spencer. "Babe are you coming?"

"I'm coming," Spencer gingerly climbed out of the car. "Hi Lorelai."

"Hey," Lorelai waved at him. "Thank you for bringing me my birthday girl."

"No problem." Spencer smiled awkwardly. "I'm going to hobble in."

Rory and Lorelai watched as Spencer gingerly made his way across the yard and up the porch. "Aww bless, he does look like an old man."

"He's going to a Chiropractor, Elizabeth something. It's sort of working," Rory sighed heavily. "So?"

"So," The wattage of Lorelai's smile increased. "My baby girl home for her thirtieth birthday party. Thirty! Where did all that go?" she gestured vaguely to represent the ether of time.

"I have no idea, and technically I'm not thirty until Wednesday so, it's an early 30," Rory shook her head. Her attention drew to the children still hovering on the porch. "We should go in or they are going to ruin socks."

"We are a multiple sock household," Lorelai released her grip on Rory letting her oldest approach the younger children. "Beautiful ones the first loin fruit…" she paused as all of the kids apart from Grace groaned, the three-year-old copying her older siblings a moment later. "Alright, alright, the first daughter has returned, all must bow in her tremendous…"

"Mom," Rory shot Lorelai a mildly frustrated look before good-naturedly rolling her eyes at Kitty and Willow. "Let me hug them!"

"Yeah Mom, we're not bowing for our sister," Kitty mimicked Rory's eyeroll. "We're just gonna hug her."

"Yeah."

"Fine, but Mommy wants hugs too," Lorelai mock pouted as the kids swarmed Rory.

Rory hugged her younger siblings, smiling softly as they all fought for her attention. It took both her and Lorelai's combined effort to get the four kids inside and when she finally did she found Gigi hovering hopefully over a tableful of food. Rory glanced at Lorelai for explanation.

With an affectionate pat of the head Lorelai nodded to the table. "Luke brought a bunch of stuff, but he had to get back to the diner. I tried to keep it warm, but the fries are probably a bit of a bust. Hamburger will be fine though."

"We already eated," Sam told her and then bounced in excitement. "Rory, you wanna read with me about dinosaurs?"

"Tomorrow morning, I promise," Rory smiled down at her little brother. "Gigi you wanna grab something," she nodded to the food.

"Definitely," Gigi sank gratefully into the chair and grabbed a wrapped burger tearing it open with gusto and taking an appreciative bite. "Uncle Pop's burgers are amazing. Mom have one," she extended a burger out to Rory.

Rory took it and copied the eleven year old, eating the burger in rapid bites and then letting out a small sigh of contentment. "I haven't found anywhere that makes burgers like Luke's."

"He has the magic touch, it's the grouchiness and love, somehow he seals it into his patties." Lorelai sank into the chair beside Rory, watching her indulgently. When Spencer came in she offered him a burger and the family descended into a meandering conversation about updating each other on what was going on, even though they all already knew it all. When the kitchen clock showed three, Lorelai rose. "Alright beautiful ones, because I want you guys to be able to enjoy the party I want everyone to go upstairs and lie down." She held her hand up because the twins could start to protest. "You don't have to nap if you can't but I just want you to lie down and rest, recharge all that energy so you can boogie the night away." With a reluctant air the children began to noisily file out of the kitchen. "Ooh, are my ears going to be burning." Lorelai flared her eyes dramatically. "How about you cutie?" Lorelai looked at Gigi. "Your bed is all made up for you ready."

"It might be a good idea," Rory nodded encouragingly.

Gigi rolled her eyes. "I know when I'm not wanted." She grinned cheekily. "I'm going up, will you do my nails?" she asked Rory hopefully.

"Sure, I'll come up in a little bit." Rory smiled at her. "You can watch some netflix if you want." She rolled her eyes as Gigi's eyes slid sideways to Spencer who gave an imperceptible nod. "Go on, you as well."

"We've been banished Dad," Gigi climbed out of her chair. "I'll go get it set up."

Rory waited until Spencer followed Gigi out of the room before slowly turning to look at Lorelai. "So, will you do my nails?" she held up her unpainted fingernails. "You know how Grandma gets."

"Of course," Lorelai nodded. "Care to explain the look between the Cutie and the husband?"

"They are watching Futurama together. It's like their thing," Rory shook her head dismissively. "I cannot get her into any of the classic shows that we used to watch, but Futurama she loves. Still I've got her into the books so, yay on that front."

"You shouldn't pass on your sickness," Lorelai stood up and began to clear away the food. "Books are expensive babe."

"It's one of our few splurges, and her school has a really good library so we supplement with that." Rory joined her in clearing up. "My dress is black I thought that was safest so I didn't clash with Grandma's décor. You think 3 hours is enough time to prep to her exacting standards?"

"More then enough for you who has still yet to begin aging. If you want to go really fun, the twins have sparkly polish we can steal."

Rory looked down at her nails and grinned. "Sounds perfect." She paused by the bin as she divested the burger wrapper into the trash. She gave a faint sigh and rested her hip against the counter, viewing the large well used room, her eyes falling on the large red Formica table that Luke had procured from the same place he had furnished the diner. The kitchen was filled with kid's drawings and cook books and laundry. It was busy and felt like home even though it was a roof she had spent barely any time living under. Her mind drifted slightly, her eyes falling out of focus. She jumped slightly as she realised Lorelai had come alongside her and was looking at her with an air of concern. "Maybe I need a nap."

"Maybe."

Rory exhaled softly as her Mom ran her fingers through her hair, Lorelai's familiar hands gently cupping her face. "If I hadn't known Grandma had put so much effort into this party I would totally ditch it."

"Know the feeling but if you did that, you would not see thirty-one," Lorelai placed a kiss on Rory's forehead. "Go lie down for a bit. I'll finish clearing up and go find that nail polish."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So who is that?" Lane whispered the Rory, pointing to a painfully thin woman talking to Paris in the living room of the Gilmore mansion.

"I have no idea," Rory shook her head and then grabbed Lane's hand as her friend reached out to take a martini glass from a passing waiter. "Avoid those, they are worse than The Rory she had made at my 21st. Get champagne fizzes or the bartender will make you something, or a beer."

"I'm onto vodka lime these days," Lane mused politely waving off the waiter. "It's easy to produce an imitation with water, so I always appear like I can drink way more then I actually do." She seized Rory's arm and the pair of the wound their way through the crowd of people to the bar. "There is something about getting the crushing respect of artists when they think you are stone cold sober after drinking 6."

"They believe that you drink six vodka limes and are still sober?" Rory giggled with disbelief.

"You can't do business when your drunk but you can encourage some of the better creativity. It's about knowing your artists," Lane shrugged. She placed her order with the barman and turned to face Rory while they waited. "So some of these people are people your grandparents know, not just newbies to Stars Hollow who I don't know."

"I think they are friends of my grandparents from Yale. I'm guessing they are Yale alumni because I'm not sure why else they would be at my birthday. But they could be Stars Hollow people. Every time I come back there seems to be new people."

"Yeah," Lane sighed slightly sadly. "Mama said that. Something about a housing development 5 miles out of town."

"Something like that. I haven't seen it. Mom said It's nearer Woodbridge, but she only gives me the headlines, we usually have more important things to talk about." Rory took her drink as the barman served them. "We did invite your Mom."

"Oh yeah I know. But grandson beats party," Lane chuckled. "She likes to watch him as much as possible, to provide a correcting influence over our rock and roll lifestyle. Joe is going to be fluent in Bible and Rock and Roll hall of fame knowledge." She took her drink and pulled Rory out towards the food tables in the dining room. "Did I tell you she has brought a stairgate for every single room of our apartment. Joe has literally just started to crawl. And they are like impossible to undo. Zack nearly broke his leg the other night because we stupidly closed one and he walked straight into it and went flying."

"Was he OK?" Rory asked mildly concerned, searching out Zack who was stood nursing a beer and looking like he was trying to hide.

"He was fine, more annoyed at me for laughing but it was really funny." Lane tipped her head to one side as she studied the table. "What is that?"

"I don't know." Rory glanced at the canape tray something beige and flexed with green. "Quiche of some kind. If we find Sookie we can ask."

"Is Sookie mad she's not catering?" Lane took a mini pizza and rested it on a napkin, scanning the room over the top of her glasses.

"I am getting another cake tomorrow," Rory shook her head in amusement. "It's one party after another."

"What are you doing for your actual birthday?" Lane asked grabbing a plate and some of the plainer foods.

"Working, but Spencer and Gigi are taking me out to dinner and there is something happening next weekend, but they are being super secretive about that." Rory's eyes fell on Spencer. Her husband had taken up residence on the couch and was in deep conversation with April about something while little Sam was sat trying to engage. She smiled in Spencer's direction and then selected her own selection of food. "I should take him something."

"What did he do again?" Lane asked grabbing another plate and filling it with food for Zack.

"Had a fight with a branch in the garden. It was funny until I realised he was hurt. His core strength is really bad because he doesn't do any strength training. He just cycles to work. Well he did before this." Rory frowned slightly. "He sits badly at work too so it's all cumulative," she glanced at Lane as her friend snorted. "Oh god, that sounded so old." She dissolved into giggles.

"Well I don't know about you but I certainly can't party like I could," Lane chortled and then mockingly raised her glass in a toast. "Age it comes to us all!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai smiled as she watched Lane and Rory chatting and laughing together. She had been mildly concerned about Rory when the family had arrived, there was a faint sadness in her that she could not quite pin down and it worried her a little. However, now at the party, surrounded by her old friends Rory was opening up and looking more like the Rory of old.

"Lorelai!"

"Hi Paris," Lorelai turned to greet the young woman. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Good to see you," Paris nodded curtly. "I'm trying to find your parents. Doyle and I need to make a move. I have a schedule to keep with Gabriella, we need to be back at our hotel in 23 minutes." She glanced at her watch. "You know how it is with newborns, have to strike while they are fresh otherwise they won't learn."

"Newborn?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows, her eyes washed down Paris's thin physique. "You just had a baby?"

"Two weeks ago. Well sixteen days," Paris glanced at her watch again.

"You look amazing for having a baby sixteen days ago," Lorelai gasped in surprise. "I can hardly tell."

"Well I didn't do the ridiculous myth of eating for two. I put on the prescribed weight gain for my height. Everything as it should." Paris nodded smugly her eyes flicking up and down Lorelai in a way that made Lorelai want to cover her torso with her arms.

"Rory said you were working in New York," Lorelai switched subject.

"Oh yes. Plastics, I have a fabulous mentor. It's quite lucrative, we get both ends, the wannabes and the desperados. Breast enlargement and neckflaps. Cash cows. Funds the more philanthropic side, kids with cleft palates, burn victims." Paris sent her a beaming smile. "Not that you need it but if you ever wanted anything doing I would give you family discount. Or for you if you wanted blepharoplasty for your…" she pointed to the right of Lorelai's shoulder, gesturing at something behind her.

Lorelai looked over her shoulder following Paris's point. Luke had approached with drinks and had now frozen in confusion, his eyes staring at Paris' pointed finger. "Thanks Paris. Did you want me to tell my parents that you had to go?" Lorelai tried to end whatever this conversation was turning into.

"That would be great." Paris smiled gratefully at her. "And if you are ever in New York, you are welcome to stay with us."

"Thanks Paris." Lorelai smiled weakly as the young woman pivoted sharply in search of Rory. Slowly she turned to look at Luke who stared at her blankly. "She had a baby sixteen days ago. Sixteen, she looks like a stick. I had a baby 3 years ago and I still have the leftover five pounds that will not shift."

"She's…" Luke shrugged and then pointed at his face. "What was she pointing at?"

"She's on a plastic surgeon residency, she was offering us mates rates on whatever that thing is she thinks you need." Lorelai smiled gently at him. She leaned towards him and quirked her eyebrows. "Don't know what she's talking about."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. He handed her a glass. "I don't know what you're talking about five pounds."

"The scale doesn't lie buddy," Lorelai elbowed him.

"Pound per kid doesn't seem bad," Luke protectively put his hand at the base of her spine. "Rory seems happier."

"You noticed it too?" Lorelai pressed her lips together and found Rory and Lane again. They had moved over to Zack and were now in conversation about something. Rory was laughing and just looked brighter and it wasn't just the faint covering of makeup.

"I'll distract everyone tomorrow so you can get some alone time," Luke told her softly. "Get to the bottom of it."

Before Lorelai had a chance to respond Emily appeared from seemingly out of nowhere with Grace by her side. "Lorelai. Gracie is feeling tired so I am going to take her upstairs."

"I got it Emily. You should enjoy the party," Luke drained his drink and handed the glass to Lorelai. He bent over and lifted Grace into his arms, the child instantly cuddling to him with a sleepy demeanour. "I'll see you in a bit."

Lorelai trailed her hand down Luke's bicep as she kissed Grace and smiled as Luke carried the three year old upstairs. She glanced to her side when Luke disappeared from view, realising that Emily was hovering. "Mom?"

"Rory is enjoying herself?"

"She seems to be." Lorelai nodded, inclining her head to where Rory was stood.

"I wasn't sure when she arrived," Emily clipped, fiddling with her bracelet clasp.

"I'm on it," Lorelai smiled reassuringly. "Mommy magic tomorrow. But she is enjoying her party."

"Good," Emily breathed a sigh of relief.

"Paris said thank you, but she had to go, to get back to her baby." Lorelai stifled a smile as Emily stiffened. "Did she offer you friend's rates also?"

"No, but she commented on Andrea Calderwell's facelift. It was mortifying." Emily closed her eyes for a moment, relieving the awful moment.

"The facelift is mortifying. I mean the results of hers and the actual what they do with the peeling and the yuck," Lorelai shivered in horror. "Hers is a little tight though." She smiled as Emily attempted to stifle a smile and failed. "It's a good party Mom."

"Thank you Lorelai," Emily smiled appreciatively at her. "Before I forget, I know you want to do Thanksgiving but I want to have Christmas here."

"And we are discussing Christmas in October because?" Lorelai looked at her mildly confused.

"You have to start planning these things in advance Lorelai. Order the right thing, make sure you get the absolute best." Emily stared at her like it was obvious, "You will speak to Luke?"

"I will speak to Luke," Lorelai agreed. She smiled as Emily's features lit up in excitement. "I'm gonna do the rounds, I seem to be children down."

"Kitty and Willow are hovering by the chocolate," Emily pointed through to the food area. "I was going to let them have one of mine."

"Just one Mom," Lorelai started towards the food set up and then cast a cheeky grin at Emily. "I'll have the rest. You're chocolate is always amazing."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai replenished the coffee maker and then sent a sidelong look at Luke, he had appeared back after the morning rush at the diner, ostensibly to spend more time with everyone but in reality so that Lorelai could peel Rory away and have the conversation about what was up with her less than happy daughter. He returned her look, giving her an imperceptible nod that told her, go for it. Silently he pulled a paper bag out from under his flannel and then pulled out some contraband, a packet of mallomars, something that didn't normally sit in the house owing to the children having a freakish ability to sniff out anything sweet and his dislike of them eating sweets. He set the packet in front of her and then lifted two large mugs.

"Rot your insides outside," he murmured, giving her a peck on the cheek. His hand trailed down her arm and then he moved away, clapping his hands to get the kids attention so he could lead them into living room, giving Lorelai a chance to escape without the sweet treats being discovered.

Children out of the room, Lorelai poured two generous measures of coffee into large deep mugs and then crossed to the table. "Babe, I need your opinion on some design stuff for Lane. I forgot to ask her last night." She waited until Rory rose and then set the coffee mugs down so she could open the packet of mallomars and offer them to Spencer, April and Gigi. The adults refused but Gigi took one with a smile. "Don't let the cousins see," Lorelai smiled at the eleven-year-old and then followed Rory out of the kitchen, and out of the house. The pair made their way round the side of the house to the outbuildings and Lorelai opened the door to 'hers' and beckoned Rory inside. With the growing family and the kids every increasing amount of stuff both she and Luke had taken one of the three outbuildings as their own, leaving the largest, supposedly the garage, for storage. Luke had turned his into a workshop of sorts, setting up a carpenter's station where he would sometimes disappear into to get some peace or to build more storage. Her room was devoted to her sewing. Having everything inside the house took up too much space so after the great attic room conversion of 2011, Luke had spent the winter sound and weather proofing the space, creating her the perfect studio with a cubicle for people to try things on and a large table where she could leave works in progress laid out. It was her sanctuary and the place where she could run her small sewing business from.

"So where is the thing for Lane?" Rory asked sinking into the sofa that was in the corner.

Lorelai collected a sketch book and handed into to Rory before sitting down beside her and studying Rory while Rory took in the sketches.

"I think Lane will love them," Rory handed the sketch book back. "She's always loved what you've made her before."

"True," Lorelai took the book and tucked it beside her against the side of the sofa.

"But," Rory peered at her over the top of her mug.

"I wanted you to come out here to have just some us time," Lorelai told her offering her the mallomars. "We've not had a moment to ourselves."

"Kay," Rory took a cookie and nibbled at it. "You have a topic in mind though."

"Yeah," Lorelai reached out and brushed a strand of Rory's dark hair away from her eyes. "I want to talk about you. You don't seem very happy, and I guess I just want to check it's normal adult uggghhh and not something else."

"Normal adult ugggh?" Rory smirked "What does that mean?"

"You know. The daily grind, the chores, the commute, the 9 to 5. The rinse repeat redo. Normal adult Ugh," Lorelai took a sip of her coffee and then tipped her head, raising her eyebrows in question. "Not that I don't love the phonecalls, but they are getting more frequent and well a little bit mopey. So I'm doing some Momming."

Rory smiled briefly. "I don't mean to be mopey. It is just mostly normal adult ugghh."

"So what's the other bits then," Lorelai wriggled into the seat and held Rory's gaze.

Rory held it for as long as she could and then looked down at her coffee mug. "It's nothing big, just lots of little things."

"Which all add up and cause the mope so spill," Lorelai patted Rory's knee.

"It's nothing really…" Rory glanced at her and then sighed heavily. "It's just I don't have any friends there, everyone at work has weird hours and we all have families that we have to do stuff for and all the parents at Gigi's school give me that look because 'I'm too young'. The jobs fine but it's just fine and Spencer is working so hard I hardly get to see him because when he gets home he's just exhausted and then he's…" she trailed off and looked down.

"he's what?" Lorelai pressed, her hand resting on Rory's knee to maintain the connection.

"He keeps making comments, like passing comments."

"About?"

"Babies," Rory sighed again. "I've always said I didn't want to have kids, and we have Gigi. I think he's just broody or whatever version of that guys get. There is a lot of babies happening at his work, two girls are pregnant, another just had a baby. Two guys just become Dads for the first time and there are another couple who are on number two and three. It's been an expensive few weeks for collections. And Grady came to stay for a weekend. He always gets family centric after his Dad visits. I just… I dunno." Rory looked up and shrugged her shoulders. "I just feel like I'm being a crappy wife, because he wants something and I don't and I'm being a crappy academic because is all bits and bobs, nothing is concrete and is hours here and there." She smiled weakly. "I hate Baltimore, I shouldn't it's a great city, but it sucks. It's just so different from here, and from New York. I mean New York was kind of lonely but I guess because I was a student in a college environment there was always stuff happening, always people, and I had Dee and Rebecca when Spencer was working. Now all I have is phone calls, which have turned into infrequent text messages because everyone is off killing it in their careers or having babies and I'm just…not."

"Oh Kid," Lorelai smiled sympathetically. "You know you forgot the most important reason you are unhappy?"

"Oh?" Rory looked at her in mild disbelief.

"You're so far away from the Mommy," Lorelai gestured to herself. Her face rearranged herself into an expression of sympathy as Rory gave an amused snort. "I get it. The friend thing sucks but it will happen. You'll find your Baltimore Lane, you did at college with Dee. It will happen, but maybe you need to put yourself out there. Join a book club or something. I know the books may not be your cup of tea but it gets you out and meeting people." She paused and took a sip of coffee using the time to decide what she was going to say. "With the job thing, you're not not crushing it, you're just at the start. You had a weird first start in that you got a job you wanted, and loved and now you have what most people have. The hustling, the trying to get noticed. Spencer had to do it. Moving every couple of years to get the next step, doing the jobs that he was way too smart to do. And now, he's in his dream job. Baltimore may suck over New York and of course it sucks in comparison to the awesomeness of the Hollow. "

Rory blinked at her and then tipped her head her eyes widened. "What about the baby thing?"

"You really don't want babies?" Lorelai leaned forward, "because you know how I feel about Grandbabies."

"Mom," Rory rolled her eyes.

"I think you two need to have a conversation. He might not even realise what he's been saying, and besides, you are like me and I got in there late, not you obviously," she rolled her eyes and then shook her head. "But with the others. Maybe in five years you will feel different. You don't know. But you should talk to the poor boy. And just so you know, the mopey was noticed by the Grandma, so expect lots of phone calls from Emily."

Rory sighed again and then made a scoffing sound. "It's all first world problems isn't it?"

"No it's not, a first world problem is you can't get you're favourite quilted toilet tissue. This is modern day adult problems. You're doing everything right and how you are supposed to. The success and adulation will happen. Just remember you are only 30 years old. You have a house with no mortgage because of your ridiculously wealthy and generous grandparents. You have a job that may not be what you want but is at least in the field you want to be in. Plus the other work stuff you do. And you guys have a great awesome kid. You are doing great even if it doesn't feel like it. And I am serious about the book club." She patted Rory's knee again and smiled softly refraining from saying you are really lucky knowing it wasn't what Rory would want to hear. "Now," she lifted off the couch and scurried over to a drawer. Quickly she pulled out several boxes of candy and then turned dramatically to show off the treats. "How quickly can we work ourselves into a sugar coma?"

"Does Luke know you have these?" Rory giggled in amusement.

"Of course not," Lorelai threw the boxes at Rory and sank back onto the couch. "I do not let him in here because he would sniff them out and then he'll lecture me forever." She tipped her head and studied Rory, watching her daughter fumble with the candy box. "So, better?"

Rory nodded slowly. "Better."

"Good," Lorelai patted Rory's knee and then sighed heavily. "I can't believe I have a thirty year old. I feel thirty. How are you thirty?" she scoffed and then shook her head dramatically. "How is my baby all grown already?"

"Mom," Rory rolled her eyes a she finally succeeded in opening the candy box "I have been grown for years. But if it makes you feel better, Gigi got me a coffee mug that says thirty is only twelve in Scrabble." She smirked as Lorelai let out a trill of delight.

"That makes me twenty eight." Lorelai wriggled her shoulders in delight. "I accept this hypothesis and shall just cover every mirror so I cannot see evidence to the contrary."

"What evidence?"

"Hmm," Lorelai narrowed her eyes in good natured humour. "Perhaps you are getting on a bit. You need your eyes testing."

"No I don't," Rory poked her tongue out. "Though keep fishing for complements and I will send you to Paris for her brutally honest opinion."

"Cold!" Lorelai swiped the candy box away from Rory. Shaking a few candies out she made to tip her head back and then paused, her eyes moving towards the door. Sam stood beyond the glass, clutching his dinosaur book, his eyes wide at the sight of the candy. Lorelai surreptitiously tried to hide the candy boxes. She smiled as Sam's lips pressed together and his face flushed with concern, he sent a look back to the house and then down at the book in his hands. With an intake of breath that made him raise his shoulders he slowly opened the door and stepped inside. "Hi Little Man." Lorelai smiled at him

"Hi Mommy," Sam looked down at his book again and then across at them. "Can I read with Rory?"

"Sure," Lorelai held her arm out. "You just have to promise not to…"

"Mommy," Sam cut her off, his face pulled into one of worry. "If you say that, I got to lie to Daddy or break a promise I don't want to do that. Lying and breaking promises is bad."

Lorelai glanced at Rory who gave her a be kind to the boy look and Lorelai held her hand up in respect of Sam's statement and quickly swept the candy boxes under the throw from the back of the chair. "Nothing to see here," Lorelai indicated the empty seat with her hands like a game show assistant would display a prize. "Come fill our head with the Triceratops tales of the Jurassic."

Sam took one step closer to them and then stopped with a small frown. "Tricetops are from the credacious era Mommy."

"They are?" Lorelai held her hands out, encouraging her son over to the chair so she could lift him into the space that had just held the candy.

"Why don't you tell us all about it?" Rory wrapped her arm around Sam's shoulder. "Don't take a picture Mom"

Lorelai pouted and slid her phone back into her pocket. "But you both look so cute."

"I'm a boy Mommy. Boy's aren't cute," Sam told her tiredly as he leafed through the book.

"And I'm thirty, moratorium on the cute after thirty," Rory poked her tongue out at Lorelai and settled into the couch.

Lorelai extended her mock pout and then sat back as Sam excitedly began to explain about triceratops to Rory. Her pout quickly faded as she watched her eldest daughter and son engaging with each other. With a contented sigh she leaned in and pressed a kiss against Sam's curls, making the four year old stop and turn to look at her. "Sorry Little Man," Lorelai rubbed his arm. "Just enjoying the moment."


	4. Halloween Hullabaloo

**AN - Thanks guys - Elang, there will be more April as the story progresses, she's at college at the mo so it's how I can fit her in organically (but she does this chapter :)) I have a particular thread for her planned which I hope you guys like. Rory is at that awkward age (lol when is she not) but yeah stuff with her will come for better or worse, again I hope you like where I take it. I forgot to say last chapter bonus points (in my imaginary world of points) if you spot the Lauren easter egg. Did anyone spot it? Anyways, here have an Halloween chapter in the lead up to Easter. Warning this chapter is pretty much pure fluff but what the hey. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. Kate x**

* * *

 **Chapter 4- Halloween Hullabaloo**

"What, is that?"

Luke turned to peer over his shoulder as Gypsy half collapsed into the counter stool in front of him. She jabbed her finger at the back counter where a red balloon coated in several sheets of newspaper stood balanced on a bottle.

With a tired inhalation Luke flipped through the receipts he was looking at. "Something for Halloween. Lorelai's making it for Sam's costume." He lowered the receipts. "Usual?"

"Usual," Gypsy nodded. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why is it here?"

Almost in answer the door bell jangled and Lorelai entered the diner at a rapid trot. She skirted round the counter skidding to a halt, to dip her hands into a bowl and then lay another sheet of newspaper on the balloon.

"Lorelai, explain," Luke pointed from Lorelai's craft project to Gypsy.

"Sam's costume," Lorelai mumbled, smoothing out the newspaper. "He's going with my Dad to the Harvard Yale game and so he wants to be a football player. This is going to be the helmet." Lorelai gestured to the current soggy mess. "Supposedly. It will look good once it's done."

"I bet," Gypsy smirked.

"Where's Grace?" Luke asked looking at Lorelai curiously.

Lorelai's head jerked up and around her face pulled in surprise. "She was following me."

With a grunt of annoyance Luke marched round the counter and out the door. Grace stood on the other side of the road in her pink puffy coat looking at him plaintively, her hair fluffy around her pigtails from the damp October air. With a sigh of exasperation, Luke crossed the road to reach her and held out his arms. "I got you."

"Daddy," Grace huffed slightly extending her arms out. "Mommy too runny."

"Yeah," Luke hefted her onto his hip and then paused before crossing the road. "You wanna stay with me?" he asked as he entered the diner.

"Yes," Grace answered with a desperate air and then shot Lorelai a reproachful glare.

"I'm sorry Shortcake, Mommy made too many promises. I promised I would watch Sam at gym but I also have to make this." Lorelai reached to kiss Grace but the child let out a screech of indignation. Lorelai glanced at her glue covered hands. "I will hold off for now but lots of kisses and cuddles later to make up for crazy Mommy. OK?"

Grace sighed heavily. "Okay."

Lorelai smiled widely and then went back to the papier-mâché balloon.

"Could you sit with her and watch her?" Luke asked Gypsy lowly, off Gypsy's uneasy study of Grace he added even lower. "I'll comp your lunch."

"I never turn down a free meal," Gypsy shrugged and then swivelled off the stool to move to a more child friendly table. Luke followed and deposited Grace in the chair opposite. Gypsy and the three year old regarded each other seriously before Gypsy offered a wide smile. "So what are you dressing up as for Halloween?"

Grace beamed excitedly, "Anna."

Gypsy frowned slightly and looked up at Luke when he returned with a coffee for Gypsy and a beaker of water for Grace. "Your kid is dressing as your ex?"

"What?" Luke looked at her blankly. He paused frowning as Lorelai darted back out the diner, her shoes a staccato beat on the lino floor to dash across the street so that she could resume a position in the doorway of Miss Patty's as if she had never been gone. "No," he shook his head his nostrils flaring slightly. "The ice movie, it's a Disney thing. Frozen." He looked down as Grace began to hum a tune from her favourite movie. "You don't need to sing it Grace."

"I hummin," Grace gave him a pointed look. "Willow herirony, Kitty her gym lady."

"McKayla Maroney," Luke added. "The one with the expression." He pointed at Grace, the small child pulling her lips into a twist. "Kit's been doing it all week."

Grace giggled. "Grandma and Grandpa gonna come. Daddy not dressing up." the child looked up at Luke with a disapproving look.

Gypsy snorted in amusement. "Like it will stay like that."

"I'm not taking part in some hollow holiday that just chucks sugar down my kids throats," Luke grumbled not making eye contact with either.

"You'll come by the garage though," Gypsy smirked at him. "I got a bit going."

Luke gave a heavy sigh and then shook his head in defeat. "Yeah. I'm sure we will."

* * *

 **xXx**

A ringtone version of 'Science is Real' announced the call loudly making Lorelai jump and jab a pin into her thumb. Sucking the wounded digit she grabbed for her phone and pressed connect. "Hey Apricot."

"Hey," April greeted her.

"You OK?" Lorelai asked, noting the nervous edge in April's voice.

"Yeah," April answered a little too quickly.

"But?" Lorelai clasped her thumb into her palm, ignoring the needs to moan as she sensed the young woman had a greater concern.

"I got invited to a party. Not just like a dorm party but an actual party by someone," April blurted nervously. "It's a costume party."

"And you have no idea what to wear and a day to pull something together." Lorelai smiled, choosing to focus on the lighter topic that April had presented rather than the topic of the being asked on a date. April had amicably broken up with Jessica over the winter break of freshman year as both of them had struggled with long distance relationship. April had not dated anyone since. Given April's extreme uncomfortableness with any conversation even relating to the possibility of her doing so, it was something that was never discussed and was something that should be approached on April's terms. "Is there any kind of theme?"

"Just Halloween. I did ask what Carice was wearing and she said she hadn't decided. I don't have anything to wear," April mumbled.

"OK. So." Lorelai paused mulling over the choices. "There are a few ways to go. Sexy." She grinned as April gagged. "Stock character like a crazy scientist. Animal. Pop Culture Character or Historical Character or cerebral, where you represent something. If you go character you either have to go cool and relevant – Hunger Games or what not, super well known cultural icon or geek and go all in, like Where's Waldo."

"I have a stripy hat," April blurted.

"Nah uh," Lorelai shook her head. "Too easy. I say we do something sciency and do a shirt."

"Yeah," April mumbled uncertainly. "Why?"

"It's a topic of conversation, and cool and it's easy. I can guide you through t-shirt embellishment over the phone though we may have to face time," Lorelai glanced at her stock. "My only suggestion right now is solar system, but that is because Kitty and Willow have been doing it at school."

"It is a little grade school," April mused. "Does it have to be related to environmental science because that is my major?"

"No, the world is your oyster," Lorelai shook her head. "Just something easy and maybe topical, a little fun."

April hummed for a moment as she thought. "Maybe something related to pumpkin and Pi. Everyone is losing their heads over pumpkin spice right now. I have an orange t-shirt."

Lorelai blinked in confusion. "What has pumpkin pie got to do with science?"

"No pi, the mathematical constant not pie tasty to eat," April giggled in amusement. "I could just write the symbol on the shirt."

"And we could do a head band. Braid your hair and pin it up and then top it off with a slice of pie. Right, we need felt." Lorelai jumped up and moved over to her stash of felt. She paused as she mused over the contents of her drawer coming up with a design in her head. "Ok. Get a pen?"

"Got it," April called down the phone.

"OK. Assuming you have sharpie for writing on the t-shirt, if not, get a sharpie and do your best with the symbol but if you like your shirt grab a new shirt and do it on that. You need an Alice Band wide and fabric. Taupe felt, card, orange felt or fuzzy pom poms and craft glue. You can get that from a craft store. The card is the pie slice crust. Cover that in the taupe felt. Then stick the orange on that and then mock up a pie lattice and stick that on top. Then stick all that to the Alice band. You probably want to give it a few hours to dry but it should be a quick job. Also go by the drug store. See if you can get some orange eye shadow and orange or brown lipstick."

"This could work." April trilled down the phone.

"Sure, it will," Lorelai nodded. "You want me to send you a drawing of what I mean about the pie slice?"

"I think I got it."

"OK, call me if you need help and I want pictures when you're done."

"Thanks Lorelai," April gave a relieved sigh. "Any luck with Dad?"

"None, he is being very Scroogelike. Is there a Halloween version of Scrooge?" Lorelai closed the felt draw and moved over to the desk to grab a piece of paper to sketch out her design in case April changed her mind.

"Not that I know of. Rory might know."

"Well, I will ask. You OK for cash It shouldn't be too expensive but I know you budget carefully will it throw you out? Do you want me to send you something?" Lorelai glanced at her receipt bin.

"I'm OK. Grandma sent me a little fun money," April giggled nervously. "She was worried I was working too hard. I think she means for me to get a manicure or something. Are manicures really 200 dollars?"

"Mine are nowhere near that but you know Emily, she can always find a ridiculous overpriced version of anything," Lorelai rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "But it's probably her wanting you to have fun on more than one occasion. So have fun. Maybe send her a picture too."

"Not with…" April trailed off.

"Maybe a group selfie," Lorelai chuckled lightly. "If she asks just say it's a Halloween Party."

"Yeah," April mumbled.

Lorelai waited sensing that April was building up to something. When nothing came she cleared her throat giving April one last chance before she started to speak. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to Apricot. Just go and have fun. You are not obligated to do anything."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Lorelai reiterated. "Now get crafting and if you wanna chat…"

"I know where you are," April finished, sounding brighter. "Thanks Lorelai."

"You're welcome, Happy crafting!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"DAD COME ON!"

Rory winced as Gigi bellowed up the stairs. Spencer had come home late from work. Not normally something out of the ordinary but today unforgivable. At least in Gigi's eyes and Rory had to admit that today she agreed. At eleven years old it was probably the last time that Gigi would want to go out trick or treating with them. Rory stood and straightened her skirt. She had failed slightly the costume department. They were off the rack costumes, grabbed from Target in whatever was available in their sizes. Gigi was actually very enamoured with her hippy costume, mostly the circular red glasses and the fact that she was allowed to draw peace symbols and daisy flowers on her arms. Spencer had ended up with a prisoner costume and she was sporting a skeleton outfit. It wasn't particularly planned but it would do.

With a stride that screeched with her frustration Gigi moved back into the kitchen and slumped into the seat opposite Rory. "He's taking FOREVER!"

"He's just got in Sweetie," Rory tried to sooth. "Give him a few minutes."

"Alright," Gigi rolled her eyes dramatically. Suddenly she sat forward and fixed Rory with a narrow stare. "Are you going to eat my candy like last year?"

"I only ate the ones you gave me," Rory tried to look innocent. She failed, her face dissolving into an apologetic smile which caused Gigi to let out a light giggle. Last year Gigi had eaten her weight in chocolate, dumped the remaining candy on Rory's lap in disgust and then vomited. Rory had then spent the rest of the evening eating the candy until she felt like vomiting. "We can share."

"But I get the fruit and nut stuff right," Spencer called as he trailed down the stairs trying to get the striped hat to fit on his head.

"Course," Gigi nodded excitedly. "You can have the nougat stuff. But lollies and normal chocolate is mine, until I split it with you."

"You sound quite mercenary." Rory got up and followed Gigi over to the door, she squeezed the child's shoulders. "Remember politeness right."

"I will." Gigi looked momentarily chastened before bouncing out of Rory's grip and grinning up at both of the adults. "I'm just excited."

"Well lets crack on," Spencer nodded at the door. "You have a route planned?"

"Yup," Gigi pulled out a street map, the approved map of the resident's association, which showed all the participating houses. "We're going up this street," she pointed excitedly to the map and then down this one. There's a big haunted house. It looks amazing. And then we come back down that street," she pointed out the route. "Mom can order a pizza for 7.30?"

"She knows us too well," Rory shook her head in amusement. "Alright flower power chick, lead on."

Gigi gave her a tired look. "We have to take a picture first." She reached into Rory's pocket and plucked out Rory's phone. Lightning fast she put in the pin code and flicked to the camera. "Auntie Glama will want a photo."

"Alright strike a pose," Rory took the phone and then handed it to Spencer so he could use his longer arms and the three of them took a selfie. "Got it," Rory took her phone back and grabbed her keys from the dish by the bowl. "Come on a sugar coma awaits." She waved first Gigi and then Spencer out of the house before following and pausing to lock the door. As she turned around and looked down at her phone to complete the action of sending the photo she gasped. "Oh my God."

"Wha…Coool!" Gigi sounded turning to look back at her. "You glow! Auntie Glama will really wanna see that."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Now come on Mom," Lorelai called over her shoulder as she raced to keep up with Kitty who was rushing excitedly towards the next house. "You have to admit that was funny."

"It was not," Emily bristled her shoulders.

"You should read the books Grandma," Willow commented from beside Emily. The child fiddled with her robes and then looked up at Emily, who had dressed upon Willow's request as Professor McGonagall. "We can read them together. You can help me with the scary bits. Mommy and Daddy do." As if to prove her point Willow took Emily's hand squeezing it tightly. "I'd like it if you did."

"Perhaps," Emily nodded with a small smile. "Why don't you go catch up with Kitty."

"Kay," Willow shot her a beaming smile and then darted off down the street her Harry Potter Robes flying behind her.

"Should we encourage this?" Emily fiddled with her green velvet coat.

"The reading of a cultural juggernaut?" Lorelai paused at the entrance to the path that the twins had gone down. "She enjoys it, even if it scares her. And it's not like a new thing Mom. Seven books, Eight movies. You just missed it slightly because Rory was never a fan girl type. I should have given you the cliff notes of it."

"But why on earth are they asking if it is hard to change into a cat?" Emily stared at Lorelai in confusion.

"McGonagall is an Animagus, she can change into a tabby cat." Lorelai explained. She stifled a smile as Emily blinked in disbelief at her "You should take the props that those kids thought you looked like Professor McGonagall. Maggie Smith played her in the films."

"I look nothing like Maggie Smith," Emily shimmied her shoulders once more. Seemingly tired of the conversation she clasped her hands in front of her and then looked over her shoulder, back towards Luke and Richard who were shepherding Sam and Grace. "I don't see why I had to dress up in costume. Luke hasn't."

"Luke is Luke. You are fulfilling the wish of your granddaughter who was desperate to share her Halloween with you." Lorelai pointed out. She forced a smile on her face as Kitty and Willow came barrelling down the path.

"FULL SIZE!" Kitty shrieked in delight, holding out a full sized candy bar. She stopped just out of Lorelai's reach and stowed it in her pumpkin sack. "I like this house."

"They are very generous. Did you say thank you?" Lorelai stood blocking their exit to try and slow down the eight year olds charge around the neighbourhood.

"Yes Mommy," Willow shook her bag, testing the weight of her candy haul. "We said no thank you to the fruit and yes please to the candy and said thank you."

"They offered fruit?" Lorelai looked nervously over her shoulder at the approaching Luke. "Do you think Dad can cope with both Sam and Grace?"

"Of course he would," Emily followed her gaze. "Why would he need to?"

"If Luke takes them down he'll insist they take the fruit." Lorelai sighed sadly "Even though I think that Sam definitely will if it is oranges. They should get the make the choice themselves," Lorelai turned her head back to the house and then frowned as her headband dislodged slightly. "Uggh I can't cope with ears." She fiddled with the band repositioning it in a place where it would not fall from her head.

"I still don't think it's appropriate that you are a playboy bunny," Emily narrowed her eyes, studying Lorelai's outfit of a black jumpsuit and ears headband critically.

"I'm a cat, I just couldn't get can ears so I had to modify bunny ears. And I lost my tail. Besides it's not like I'm wearing spandex like some people." Lorelai told her with a roll of her eyes. "I was going to be Elsa, but I couldn't find a costume to rent and the ones in my size to buy were a fortune. Disney must be clearing up just from merchandise from that Movie. Anyhoo. The costume shop failed me and I was too busy making kid costumes to do anything properly but it does the job." She tipped her hand to gesture to her costume. "Kitty Willow can you do Daddy distraction?"

"Course we can Mommy," Kitty skipped over excitedly towards Luke, closely followed by Willow.

Lorelai watched as the twins effervescently descended on Luke, both taking a different tack for wanting his attention. It worked perfectly, stuck in who to respond to first and how not to create a scene Luke stopped in his tracks, allowing Richard to walk on with the younger children. "You take them Dad," Lorelai stepped back to let them pass. Richard seemingly oblivious to what was going on with Luke and the twins smiled as he walked past, protectively holding Grace and Sam's hands as they walked up the path. Lorelai grinned as she took in the sight. Richard had to crouch slightly to hold Grace's hand and Grace was struggling to walk in her unfamiliar long dress. Sam on the other hand kept stumbling as was struggling to see due to the fact the papier-mâché helmet was took big and kept falling forward to cover his eyes. "You are going to have to stop Dad doing a you at the game," Lorelai mumbled to Emily smirking at how the Bulldog Football shirt poked out like plumage of the back of the shorts she had made for Sam. "We don't need any more Yale merchandise."

"We should at least get him a sweater that fits," Emily made study of her Grandson. "Are you sure you won't join us?"

"It's not my thing Mom. I did it when Rory was there to spend time with her. If the others end up going there I will do it then if they want," Lorelai smiled as Grace and Sam excitedly yelled trick or treat to the owner of the house. She stifled a giggle as Sam began to explain the costumes and that his Grandpa was a football coach. "Mom has Dad ever played football?"

"Not properly," Emily rolled her eyes. "Baring the Harvard-Yale game he has nothing to do with Football. His only sporting endeavour is golf. Though the way Sam makes it sound he should be umpiring for the NFL."

"They got fruit," Luke muttered gruffly coming up behind them trying to carry the twins who were both hanging from around his neck. "Sa…"

Lorelai silenced him by placing her hand over his mouth. His eyes flared in surprise and then swivelled to look at her. "EWWW!" Lorelai exclaimed flicking her hand. "You licked my hand, you licked it." She flicked her hand childishly again before wiping her hand on his flannel shirt. "Gross."

"Well. Don…" Luke started to protest.

"I just want you to let them choose themselves." Lorelai stopped him. "Hop off Bambinos you'll break Daddy's neck." She let the twins jump down from Luke before turning to look at the children at the door pondering over their choice of treats. With a grin she noted Sam choose a clementine and Grace took something that looked inedible. "See. They do listen." Lorelai elbowed Luke before wiping her hand on his arm again. "What you get Shortcake?" Lorelai turned abruptly as Grace stumble skipped towards them excitedly shaking her hand. "A badge! Cool!" She bent down to help Grace put on the badge and smiling as she pushed the button on it to make the light work and Grace gave a delighted coo. "What a good house." She straightened and waved at the owners who were watching with wide smiles. "Now lets get on, we have three more to hit, and then we need to go to Auntie Babette's and Uncle Morey's, they have a skit they really want to show you."

"Is it going to be scary Mommy?" Willow asked taking her hand as the group set off again.

"They promised it wouldn't be too scary," Lorelai assured the eight year old looking over her head to Emily who was fiddling awkwardly with her velvet cloak, "but don't worry you have Professor McGonagall to protect you. She always protected her students."

* * *

 **xXx**

April smiled awkwardly as she handed over the plastic red cup filled with beer to her date. Her date, Carice smiled awkwardly back and took a swig before sighing. The party was not going well. Well the party was, normal typical college party. The date part of the party was not going well. April took a sip of her own beer and sighed as well. She was useless at this. Besides Jessica she had had zero experience in dating and it was definitely showing.

"So," Carice stated, sounding bored and with a tone that sounded like she was about to make her apologies."

"Sorry," April mumbled before the other girl had a chance to say anything. "I'm not very good at this. I was never really a party girl and Jessica did all the flirting. I was pretty oblivious to it."

"So you are gay then?" Carice narrowed her heavily kohled eyes. "I was beginning to wonder. I mean I look hot," she gestured to her tight bodice and barely a skirt tutu with a self depricating smile.

"Homoromantic, well I think, I might be bi but I've never fallen for a boy, only Jessica," April blurted. "You do look very…hot though," she blushed and looked down at her feet. She could feel Carice's eyes on her and it made her want to burrow into ground.

"Ooooohhhhh," Carice sounded out in understanding. "You're Asexual," Carice rolled her eyes. "Well that explains it."

"Sorry you wasted your time," April mumbled barely looking up.

"So I won't get laid tonight, well not by you," Carice shrugged. "Doesn't mean we can't have a good time. You just need to relax. I won't bite. Not unless you want me too." The young woman quirked her eyebrows. "Come on. Just stop panicking. I won't do anything I promise. Scouts honour," she held up the scout salute and then smiled. "You're funny and interesting in class. That's why I asked you out."

"Really?" April finally looked up.

Carice stared at her for a few moments before smiling sadly. "Wow, someone did a number on you, huh? This is why I never see you around at parties, just working or at that eco/conservation club."

"You notice me?" April smiled nervously.

"You're pretty cute." Carice offered with a warm smile. "And you're intriguing. Now I consider it my duty as an extrovert to pull your introverted little butt into the real world of college. I cannot believe you have managed to get to be a senior without someone else doing it. Guess those Eco lot are all introverted like you or too busy off saving the world to notice the real world in front of them." Carice nodded to another girl inclining her head indicating for her to come over a join them. "I know we have a crazy year ahead of us, but you should come to our coffee meet ups at least. April this is Sansa."

"Hi. Sansa? Did you changed it?" April asked with a smile.

"No," The tall girl who had joined them rolled her eyes. "My parents were into the books early on. I have a sister called Arya and a brother called Bran, It was fine until recently."

"Sansa's a sophomore." Carice explained. "She manages our digital presence. Babe can you add April to all the groups. She's slipped the net."

"Sure," Sansa held out her phone. "I need your deets."

April took the phone and quickly input what was asked of her. "Anything else?"

"Nope," Sansa took the phone back and checked it before sliding it into her costume. "Watch out for the messages."

"Thanks San," Carice smiled at the girl who flounced away to join in with the party. "Now, We can talk if you want, there's a heater out there. Or we can dance. Standing here like morons is not an option"

"Whatever you would like," April shrugged"

"Uh uh intro," Carice shook her head. "What would you like to do?"

April held her breath. "I'd prefer talking."

"Talking it is," Carice took her hand leading towards the outdoor.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Ugh," Lorelai sounded, sagging back against the back of the sofa and placing her hand on her stomach. "I'm so full."

"You ate your weight in candy," Luke pointed out tiredly, smirking slightly as she gave a faint groan.

"I'm protecting our children," Lorelai play swiped at him. "You were the one who didn't want them eating too much sugar. Though personally I think that's why me and Rory can handle what we can because we did eat too much of all the things were not 'supposed to'. 'Sides, when Sam and Gracie had a choice they took the toys and fruit." With a sigh she leaned forward and plucked a non-descript looking lollipop out from the bag. She pulled off the plastic and placed it in her mouth before grimacing. "Uh, Sour Cherry."

"You like sour cherry," Luke shook his head in mild amusement, surreptitiously shifting the coffee table and it's candy haul slightly further away from her with his feet.

"I do, but I thought it would be strawberry," Lorelai pouted childishly. Bored of what they were watching Lorelai curled over to him and nestled into his side. "Tonight was a good night. Even if it did go against your creed."

"What creed?" Luke frowned slightly. His hand came up to squeeze her knee. "You watching this?"

Lorelai shook her head. "Not really. I'm in a Hocus Pocus mood."

"We're not watching that again. We've already watched it twice." Luke sighed as he leant forward to turn the tv off.

"Four times," Lorelai told him quietly. "Hence the mood. So agree?"

"Agree about what?" Luke asked not quite following her thread.

"That tonight was a good night. Sugar coma's notwithstanding. Mom and Dad were on good form. The kids had fun even if they were a bit freaked out by Morey exploding gummy worms all over them." She giggled lightly as she replayed the Dell's disgustingly delightful Halloween skit which had involved Babette dressed as a glamourous witch giving Morey a magic potion to drink that then caused his chest to swell up and explode open showering sweets all over the children. She had no idea how they had managed that particular feat of engineering but the kids had been disgusted, terrified and then laughed all the way home when they had got over the shock and realised that Morey had been OK. Sighing with contentment she extricated herself from Luke and leaned forward to capture one of the gummy worms.

"Seriously?" Luke asked quietly watching her in disbelief as she pulled the gummy worm apart with her teeth.

"What?" Lorelai grinned evilly at him, chewing on the gummy worm and then going back to the lollipop. "I like Halloween."

"I never would have guessed," Luke shook his head. "If you puke you are clearing it up. I only clear up sick when it's our kids or if you are genuinely ill, not self-inflicted vomiting."

Lorelai smirked and then leant forward kissing him softly on the lips. "And a Happy Halloween to you to Hun."


	5. Hump Day Plus

**AN - Thanks Guys, There will be more stuff with April, so I hope you guys like it. I always liked Gypsy too and I was floored to discover she only appeared in like 20 episodes, she seems like she was in way more. I had to include the ubiquitous Frozen somehow and can you just imagine how Luke would cope with children singing and humming those songs all the time :) Anyways, I had to go backwards to go forward, this chapter didn't exist in my sort of plan I have but when I was writing what was supposed to be chapters 5 & 6 I figured some things needed foregrounding/ some scenes which gives context and proper meaning to what I was writing. Anyways I hope you enjoy. As ever all my own work, so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading.**

 **Happy Easter**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 – Hump Day plus**

"So we are fully booked for Thanksgiving, and at 95% capacity for Christmas and 90% for New Years. All have made restaurant reservations. Plus, there is are additional bookings for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the restaurant." Michel reeled off before looking up with a satisfied smile. "My advertising idea worked spectacularly. As I knew it would."

"Lets see if it holds Don Draper," Lorelai looked up at him as she scribbled her notes down. "We need to make sure that we have enough linen. Holiday crowds always seem to go through more than standard guests." She slid a piece of paper across her pile and stared at it. "Has anyone other than Holly asked for time off?"

"Derek wants New Year's off and Briana wants Christmas off. It is her first Christmas married or something equally saccharine," Michel told her allowing her to make her notes before continuing. "Arielle has asked for extra hours, am I OK to give her the shifts?"

"They would be at the maid and server rate," Lorelai looked up at him. "Not the assistant manager rate. If she is fine with that then OK. If not, ask any of the team who don't do the same shifts if they will cover, and as a last resort I can always ask April or because I want her to have a bit of a break, Kirk."

"I will speak to her." Michel scribbled a note.

"Everything sorted with you Sook?" Lorelai slid her eyes across to Sookie who was sat looking supremely calm despite them being about to enter the busiest time of the year.

"Yes," Sookie nodded. "I just need final numbers, so I can confirm with the suppliers, but the orders are placed. Michel has the cut off for when we can take bookings."

"Ok," Lorelai looked at her notes. "So, pending any disasters we are pretty much set."

"We just need to do the decoration walkthrough," Michel gestured with a flair to the seasonal garland over the mantle.

"Right. That was what all the glittery stuff on my desk was I'm guessing?" Lorelai game him a small smile.

"I will get it," Michel got up with a touch too much eagerness and scurried off to the office.

"Why does he insist on using glitter," Lorelai sighed. "I love glitter as much as the next girl but it goes everywhere and clogs up the vacuum. Last year I was still finding glitter in June."

"He's proud of his outness," Sookie shrugged and then cleared her throat.

"You OK?" Lorelai asked scanning her notes, Sookie was a little too calm for her liking. Usually this time of year Sookie was one step away from a panic attack, forgetting things and in a danger to anyone as her clumsiness increased exponentially. While it was pleasing to see a calm Sookie it filled Lorelai with an uneasy sense of dread.

"Me? Oh, I'm fine. I know we're busy right now but you think I can swing by tomorrow?" Sookie asked her earnestly.

"You can pop in any time you don't need to make an appointment. But be warned the kids will probably want you to bake with them again." Lorelai smiled warmly.

"It's work related." Sookie's voice lowered. "If the kids are about…"

"They're always about," Lorelai cut her off her brow creasing, her nervousness rising as to what Sookie could want to talk about. "If it's work related why not do it now?"

"It's an us conversation," Sookie told her looking over her shoulder as Michel loudly entered the dining room beneath a swathe of fabric and glittery sticks, "no boys allowed," Sookie chirped and then stood up. "I got to check on the prep for tonight. I'll leave you to it."

"Uh huh," Lorelai nodded trying to keep her face straight and free from concern. She watched Sookie scurry away and gave a soft sigh. "Come on then Michel, what do you want to do."

* * *

 **xXx**

At three o'clock Lorelai trudged into the diner and slumped at the counter. On Wednesday Luke usually picked the twins up from school and then they would 'help' him until she joined them at five having picked up Grace and Sam from Hannah's. She smiled weakly at Luke who stared at her with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. "I need coffee," she told him dumping her bag on the counter.

"The inn run out"? Luke muttered reaching for a mug and the pot.

"No, yours is better and I need the best cup of coffee there is," Lorelai snatched the cup and inhaled the aroma before taking an appreciative sip. "One of these days you are going to give me the recipe for why it tastes so much better here than at home even though we use the same stuff."

"Nothing different," Luke shrugged. He reached for the rag and wiped the counter in front of her even though it didn't need cleaning. "You OK?"

"Sookie wants to talk to me tomorrow," Lorelai told him after a large gulp of coffee. "About work but without Michel present."

"What does that mean?" Luke instinctively moved over to the cloche and selected a donut for her, setting it on a plate in front of her.

"I don't know. But she is being very unSookie like," Lorelai plucked a sprinkle from the top of the donut glaze and placed it in her mouth. "What do you think it means?"

"You're asking me to decipher Sookie," Luke scoffed. "Don't sweat it, it's probably something dumb." He glanced up at the clock, "I need to get over to the school."

"I'll come too," Lorelai flexed her hand indicating she wanted a disposable cup.

"Eat that before they come out," Luke pointed at the donut.

Obediently Lorelai placed the donut in her mouth while the pair of them muddled around getting her coffee in the cup.

"Ceser," Luke called into the kitchen, "I'm off to get the twins." Without waiting for a response, he rounded the counter and then paused. "Where did the …"

Lorelai swallowed the large hunk of donut dramatically. "You said you wanted it gone," She gave him a soft smile and then led him out the diner. Her smile increased as Luke muttered something beneath his breath. "I need sympathy Hun not whatever it is you are saying."

"Will hand holding do?" Luke gave her an apologetic smile.

"Perfect," Lorelai slid her hand into his and let him curl his thick fingers around her slim ones. She gave a soft contented sigh and they fell into to step with each other as they walked across the square and towards the elementary school. It was a relatively short walk from the diner, out through the main part of town, down Peach and around the corner to the school quadrangle. The site had the elementary school in one corner, the middle school in the other while a large sports field separated them from the ice rink and basketball gymnasium.

"You think Kits would like ice hockey?" Luke mused as they passed the chain link fence towards the pick up point. A large banner was extolling try outs and that the twins were now old enough to take part.

"She's not one for team sports but we could try her out or maybe the actual ice skating, she's got the gymnastics. I'm sure she'd like the spinning seeing as how she is a spinning top. Plus the outfits. Who could say no to bedazzled leotards," Lorelai mused as she tugged Luke towards a surprisingly empty bench. She sat down and took a sip of her cooling coffee and then pressed her leg against his. Sookie was still playing on her mind and she was going to use all measures of comfort available to her. As if he understood Luke tenderly placed his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips against her hairline.

"MOMMY, DADDY!"

Slowly Lorelai unentwined herself from Luke and looked up as Kitty came racing down the steps and across the grass to them.

"Hello Bubba," Lorelai caught her clearly excited daughter, a rarity with school these days following her dyslexia diagnosis. "Good Day?"

"There was a dog," Kitty gushed excitedly.

"Mommy?" Willow called in surprise as she came down the steps laden with a stack of books. "It's Wednesday Mommy, did you forget? Daddy picks us up on Wednesday."

"I know Honey bunch but I wanted to see you," Lorelai smiled down at her daughter. "You borrow those?" she nodded at the books.

"Yes," Willow looked sheepishly at the books.

"How to care for a dog. Puppies are the best. Man's best friend." Luke read down the stack of books. "American sign Language for beginners?"

"Yes," Willow handed him the books excitedly. "Rosie Miller's Mommy is deaf she brought her hearing dog in to show us and taught us to sign out names," She held out her hands excitedly and then laboriously went through the motions of spelling her name using ASL.

"Mine's this," Kitty stepped alongside her and spelt her own name. "The dog was so cool."

"He wake's her up like an alarm," Willow interrupted Kitty.

"He was all curly and so good," Kitty fought back into the conversation.

The twins both took a step closer their faces eager and excited. "Can we get a dog?" the asked in unison.

Lorelai glanced at Luke, his face had fallen into a glazed stony expression. "We'll talk about it later we…"

"That's not a no," Willow noted triumphantly she turned to look at Kitty. "We might get a yes."

"No, we will talk about it," Lorelai swallowed, noting how Luke's hand tightened on hers. "But for now, there are salt shakers that need filling, right Daddy?"

"Right," Luke muttered quietly as he looked down at the stack of books in his hand.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory paused as she strode towards the faculty parking lot. Her phone was ringing. Stepping to the side of the path she reached into her bag and then swore under her breath. For some unknown reason her phone had managed to slip from its usual pocket and had fallen into the bottom of her bag. Mumbling under her breath she pulled the phone out of the bag and without looking at it answered. "Yes?"

There was a momentary hesitation before April's slightly nervous voice sounded down the phone "Rory? Is this a bad time?"

"Hi April, no it's fine," Rory swallowed. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. I just have an assignment for a class and I'm floundering a bit. It's on stylistics, one of my electives. I was just wondering if you had some time, if I could talk through my plan with you. It's fine if you don't have time, I can..." April babbled quickly down the phone.

"When does it have to be in?" Rory cut April off.

"Week Friday."

"I can't right now, but I could spare an hour on Saturday when Gigi is at her swimming," Rory told April quietly. "Would that work?"

"That would be amazing. Thank you," April sounded like she was smiling. There was a pause at her end before she asked timidly. "Are you OK? Did I call at a bad time?"

"No, it's fine. I've just had one of those days," Rory sighed down the phone. "I'm on my way home so hopefully I'll feel better there."

"Failing that you can just turn on and off again," April joked, giggling lightly. Rory creased her brow in confusion, failing to understand what was amusing. "Like go to bed, and tomorrow you'll feel better. Like with a computer, when it crashes you turn it off and on again," April explained her voice falling flat. "Sorry. I'm going to an open mic night on Friday maybe I can pick up some pointers."

"Right," Rory nodded flatly. She tried to stifle the annoyed huff that was hovering in her throat. It was not April's fault she was in a bad mood and she really didn't want to take it out on her younger sister.

"Well," April sounded subdued, "I'll let you get on."

"April," Rory interrupted April's sign off. "Can you email me your stuff and I'll take a look at it. It will be easier to discuss then. Gigi swims between 11 and 12 so I'll call you then."

"Ok, I will, thanks Rory."

Rory stared at her phone as the call disconnected from the other end and her home screen returned. It was a picture of Gigi sat on Lorelai's lap, taken at the lakehouse last July both of them laughing over something or other. She desperately wanted to call her Mom, but Wednesday was the day Lorelai was at the Inn and everything was just chaotic. Gigi wouldn't be any fun either when she got home. Wednesday was always the worst day for her homework wise, not quite Chilton volumes but enough. For some reason it also seemed to be the day that Gigi's energy flagged so she was always a little grouchy. With a sigh Rory shoved her phone back in her bag and continued walking towards the parking lot. She just wanted to be at home and away from here, with the sniping that had occurred in the office because people hadn't done what they said they would and away from managers who changed their minds which rendered 3 weeks' worth of work useless. As she reached the parking lot she reached into her bag again and pulled out her phone. ' _Getting the Gilmore special'_ she typed as a message to Spencer. The last thing she wanted to do when she got home was cook. A junk food haul just maybe might make up for a bad day.

* * *

 **xXx**

"So, I think it would be really great," Willow concluded her argument. The child gave a little grumble in response to the towel falling over her face. She pushed the towel out of her eyes and looked back at Lorelai stopping her from towel drying her wet hair. "Don't you think Mommy?"

"They are all good reasons," Lorelai agreed pulling Willow back into her place and resuming the task of hair drying, "but Dogs need a lot of work, Honeybunch. They need walks and feeding. Rosie's Mommy's dog is a super trained professional, not all dogs are like that."

"We should get one that looks like him though," Kitty bounced onto her bed landing on her knees before bouncing again to sit on her bottom her legs kicking excitedly over the side, her calves drumming the wooden frame. "It's so pretty."

"All dogs are pretty so I'm sure that one is," Lorelai agreed removing the towel from Willow's head and testing the strands. Finding it dry enough she separated the still slightly damp curls and began to French braid it. "I think we've had enough dog talk for tonight," she tied Willow's hair and then pulled her daughter back towards her pulling her into a hug. "Ten minutes of reading Harry Potter and then lights out."

"I have to finish the chapter Mommy it might be a long one," Willow snuggled into her. "Please Mommy."

"Ok, One chapter," Lorelai kissed her crown. "Come on in to bed." She stood and helped Willow snuggle down into her bed and then kissed her again before turning to Kitty. "You too Bubba, into bed. You want me to read to you?"

"No, I'm going to look at this," Kitty held up one of the books that Willow had loaned from the library. "I'm going to find the dog I want."

"You can look Bubba, but remember wants don't always get, OK." Lorelai kissed Kitty on the crown and tucked the comforter around her. "I'll check on you in a little bit." She told the twins softly as she moved to the door. With a sigh she stepped out onto the hallway. The twins had talked about nothing but the possibility of getting a dog all evening, to the point that Grace and Sam had started asking for one too. Slowly she crossed the hallways to her and Luke's bedroom. He was sat on the bed folding laundry his face set into a stony expression. "They are reading," she told him softly as she crossed to join him on the bed. She picked up on of Sam's shirts and deftly folded it before placing it on his stack.

"How long is this dog talk going to last you think?" Luke asked not looking at her as he continued to march through the laundry folding.

"Could be over tomorrow might go on for years. Who knows," Lorelai shrugged and then inched closer.

"We're not getting a dog. You couldn't keep a hamster alive remember. We are not pet people," Luke shook his head. "We don't have time."

"I know we don't," Lorelai assured him. "I just need to find a nice way to crush our daughters' spirits. I'm hoping they forget. You know how I feel about tears," she pouted playfully and then patted his knee. "Don't worry I don't expect you to be Doctor Doolittle as well. Promise."

"Sorry," Luke muttered folding another shirt. "You want to talk about tomorrow?"

"Nope," Lorelai clipped throwing the shirt she was folding down with more force then necessary. "What will be will be, I will deal with it then," she sighed and lifted her leg to poke his knee with her toes. "I want to talk about something fun, no dogs or Sookie. Talk about something fun," she prodded him again.

"Like what. I spent all day at the diner," Luke raised his eyebrows.

"No you comforted me as well. You wanna play twister?" Lorelai prodded his knee with her toe again.

"I want to clear the bed of the clothes so we have somewhere to sleep," Luke gestured to the pile of clothing.

"Or?" Lorelai quirked her eyebrows. "Or is fun. It is hump day after all," she giggled as Luke looked at her blankly. "You know Wednesday the hump in the week. All downhill from here to the weekend baby, though I fear my hump day will extend to tomorrow," she sighed a little. "So? We're both in a bad mood. Bad mood sex is fun."

"I don't want to that," Luke lowered his hand to her foot and squeezed. "I'd rather just make each other feel better."

"How?" Lorelai smiled as his squeeze moved more to a massage.

"You know," Luke shrugged and gave her a pointed look.

"Snuggle?" Lorelai guessed and then grinned at his reluctance to use the cutesy word

"Yeah, that. I'd rather do that," Luke smiled almost shyly.

"OK," Lorelai leaned forward, pulling her foot away from him so she could reposition herself so that she could kiss him. "I'll make-each-other-feel-better-snuggle with you"

* * *

 **xXx**

Spencer stirred and rolled over, he fell flat against the mattress jerking himself awake due to the pain in his spine. After he hissed away his pain he opened his eyes to figure out why he had jolted awake so painfully. Rory's side of the bed was empty, and not only empty, cool. He gingerly rolled over and glanced at the clock it was just before midnight which meant she had probably left the bed the minute he had fallen asleep just after ten thirty. Carefully he pushed himself out of the bed and moved out into the hallway. Their big colonial style house had six bedrooms, one of which had been turned into Rory's office, while he had the office downstairs. He headed towards the room. When he reached the door he frowned, the room was dark. He glanced back down the hallway towards Gigi's room, wondering if Rory was in there but that too was dark. The whole house was dark. Confused he slowly made his way towards Gigi's room. Sometimes when Gigi was sick Rory would sit and watch her sleep, and while Gigi wasn't sick there was the notes of pre-teen angst beginning to slip in. Carefully he pushed the ajar door open enough so that he could see inside. Gigi was along in the room, curled up on her side in a way reminiscent of how Rory slept. He pulled the door back to its previous position and closed his eyes hoping that it would help him hear anything out of place in the house that would lead him to his wife. At the very edge of his hearing he caught the faintest sound of a sniffle. Slowly he made his way towards the spare room in the house. It was in fact the spare spare room. With six bedrooms they still had three left over once you took out his and Rory's, Gigi's and Rory's office. One room was a proper guest room while the second guest room was really his Dad's and now bore an eerie resemblance to his parents' room in his old childhood house. The last room had turned into a junk room of sorts, a place where all the odds and ends and we're not sure where this goes had taken up residence. He paused at the door and listened, inside he could hear soft crying. Slowly he opened the door and peered into the gloom. "Rory?" He was answered in sniffles. He crept into the room and followed the sound round some crates and over to his old sofa. Between the sofa and the crates Rory sat curled up on the floor wrapped in a patchwork comforter. "Rory?"

"I… didn't mean…to…wake you," Rory burbled, furiously wiping at her face with her hands.

Gingerly Spencer lowered himself to his knees and gently reached towards her. "It's OK, What's wrong?"

"I just had…a bad day…and I…I…I…needed home," Rory held up the comforter as if it explained everything. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for." Spencer rested his hand on her knee, unable to hug her with their awkward positions. "What happened that made the day so bad," he comfortingly rubbed her leg.

Rory shrugged. "It's dumb…I shouldn't be…I shouldn't be upset."

"I don't mind dumb," Spencer tried to catch her eyes but she was staring studiously at the detail on the comforter. "Huh? What happened?"

"They changed their mind again about the courses," Rory sighed heavily. "So everything I've been working on is a waste," she hiccuped and shook her head and then shrugged. "And Karen was just being a massive bitch, and there was this obnoxious student in the hub and the traffic sucked and Gigi was in a mood and I don't want to have a baby."

Spencer blinked in surprise as Rory dissolved into tears again. "Are…are you preg…"

"No," Rory shook her head and then returned to her tears.

"Then I...I don't understand." Spencer squeezed her leg trying to make her look at him. "I mean the work stuff sucks I get that would contribute to a bad day. And Gigi, I know it sucks when she gets stroppy but you know what they say 13-19 are the worst years but I don't understand the last bit."

"You keep dropping hints," Rory burbled and then shook her head. "And what you said to your Dad. I'm being a crappy wife…but…I really don't want to do that. I just want it to be us, and Gigi. That's our family. I…I'm so sorry."

She launched herself forward and Spencer caught her just in time. He gave a little hiss of pain but repositioned himself as best he could to try and hold Rory. "Honey," he whispered, tenderly stroking the back of her hair. "I know you don't want children…I never meant to make you feel like I resented you for it."

"You resent me?" Rory lifted her head and stared at him aghast.

"No! No that's not what I mean," Spencer shook his head before gently cupping her damp cheeks. "Rory I'm sorry if I made you feel like I was trying to force you into it. I love you. We have a daughter who I love as much as if she was mine. I'm lucky. I am fine with whatever your decision is, and it is your decision," he kissed her forehead lovingly and then found her shining eyes. "Whatever happens as long as I have you, that's all I really want."

"Really?" Rory asked quietly, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Don't say why. You know why." Spencer caught the word before she could voice it. He good-naturedly rolled his eyes as her brow creased incredulously. "You are smart, and talented, and funny, and beautiful. You make me laugh. You are independent enough without being too independent so you let me protect you over somethings which makes me feel manly," he grinned as Rory let out a wet giggle. "You give me this amazing life. You support me in what I do. Without you I'm just some sad sack who works too hard. You are everything to me. How could I be crazy enough to want more then I have? You've already given me so much." he kissed her softly and then leaned back to study her face, "How long have you been feeling like this?"

"A while," Rory told him softly. "Everything just keeps building. I'm trying."

"I know," Spencer kissed her again. "I'm sorry I didn't notice. I should notice. It's my responsibility to notice. You shouldn't be sneaking into the junk room to cry. I'm sorry I have been an inattentive husband," he rubbed her shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too," Rory snuggled into him. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise, except for maybe if I have to sit on this floor for much longer."

Rory jerked her head up and looked at him in concern. "Oh your back. I'm sorry." She extricated herself and stood up, the comforter still wrapped around her shoulders. "I didn't think. I'm so stupid. I'm sorry."

"We're going to get into one of your sorry loops," Spencer tried to joke as he stood up with a wince. "Ughh, I should apologise to you for being old. Come here," he held his hand out and pulled her into a tight hug, letting her slightly smaller frame melt into his so he could hold her safely. "I love you," he repeated quietly and pressed another kiss into her hair. "Let's go back to bed," he turned towards the door, looping his arm around her waist. "Bring the comforter, we'll keep it on our bed."

"Really," Rory smiled pulling the comforter around her, "my old comforter from my childhood bed."

"It makes you feel safe," Spencer whispered softly. "I don't want you to feel anything but safe."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked up as he heard the familiar tones of Grace and Sam. He smiled as Grace skipped over to the counter and rounded it so that he could meet her. "Hey."

"Hi Daddy," Grace extended her arms so he could lift her. "Mommy says we have 'unch here."

"Yeah?" Luke moved towards an empty table and set her on the chair. He turned to look at Lorelai, her brow was creased. "Why that then?" he asked his daughter, helping her sit and then holding out a chair for Sam.

"I not know," Grace shrugged. "Sammy? You know?"

"I don't know. Thank You," Sam smiled up at him. "Auntie Sookie brought us muffin tops and now we're having Daddy Diner food," he reached for a menu and pretended to look at it. "Daddy can I have a Sam burger?"

"Sure," Luke nodded and glanced at Lorelai as she sullenly sunk into the chair beside Grace. "Grace you want chicken or fishsticks?"

"Chicken," Grace told him excitedly. She ran her hands across the table. "I colour Daddy."

"Sure I can get you some sheets," Luke took his chance. "Mommy can come help me get them. You be good by yourself for a second," he inclined his head and Lorelai rose and began towards the counter. Luke followed her. "So hump day extended?"

"Yup. Hump day extended." Lorelai sighed. "She wants to take a sabbatical, to regroup and expand her horizons for 2 to 3 months. After the holidays. That is why she's been all calm she's checking out," Lorelai rested her hip against the counter and waited for him to go around to the other side before making eye contact. "She gave me a page of Sookie math hieroglyphs and then when I pointed out that she had the math wrong she told me she needed to get paid a certain amount because of all their mortgage and insurance and hospital bills."

"And you said?" Luke asked slowly getting the kids colouring sheets out from under the counter.

"That we couldn't afford that and pay someone to act as head chef and pay someone to fill in for someone if we move someone up." Lorelai sighed heavily. "I can't tell her no, I mean I've stepped back," she gestured vaguely towards the kids.

"From the things that you can get someone else to do. And you took a wage hit because of it," Luke pointed out. "You were realistic."

"Whoa there, me and realism, my how the mighty have fallen," Lorelai quipped and folded her arms. "I want pancakes."

"I'll make you pancakes," Luke conceded and held out the colouring sheets to force her to unfold her arms. "So what are you going to do?"

"Work something out," Lorelai sighed and clamped her hands around his. "I can't stop her going. It will most likely be take a hit on the money we're trying to save for refurbishment and new equipment. She won't get her new freezer unit or something. Give her her profit share so we don't hit the wage budget, it's only a couple of months," she sighed. "Anyway, Muffin tops did not work so I want pancakes and two bacon, two sausage and lots of syrup."

"One Bacon, One sausage and one pot of syrup," Luke told her, he smiled softly as she pouted childishly at him. "And we can have pizza tonight."

"Pizza really?" Lorelai's expression brightened. "I should get upset more often."

"Don't even think about it," Luke shot her a warning look. "Better,"

"As I can be for someone who has to work out finance things on a day she thought she was going to have playing house with her babies," Lorelai sighed. "Thank you for letting me junk my insides."

"You're welcome," Luke smiled softly at her and watched as she walked away, her shoulders were low and he knew that whatever Sookie had said and the fact that Sookie would be gone for a while was going to weigh heavily on Lorelai. He put in the order in the kitchen and then strode over to the table to give the kids drinks. "Here you are Sam," he set the cup down in front of his son. His eyes trailed across what Sam was colouring and he growled just loud enough for Lorelai to register. Her blue eyes found his and he glanced down at the paper. Sam was colouring a dog beside the line drawing of a little boy.

"Hump day extended," Lorelai shook her head before poking her tongue out as both children looked at her in confusion. She extended her hands as Grace went to hug her and cuddled the child to her. "Daddy says we can have pizza!" she matched Grace's excited awed expression and then smiled up at him. "Isn't Daddy a kind Daddy?"


	6. Waifs and Strays

**AN - Thank you guys. Yeah lots going on (but then lots of character lol) trying to tie in my ideas with parts of the AYITL bits I can so the Sookie absense will feature but as with everything in this story a twist on what we saw. Droolia - my parents used that line on me all the time, but we would always turn it around to, but I need it so fair warning :). I feel mildly wierded out at the mo, I had planned to have a storyline with Emily falling over and breaking her wrist(it's supposed to be chapter 10), but having now seen the clip from Lauren's visit to Ellen where she revealed she'd broken her wrist (OUCH, those x-rays, poor precious cinnamon roll) I'm like, this is a bit wierd, I'm not sure I want to do it now. It's wierd right? Anyway, I'm in two minds, but I have to finish 9 first and things are developing as ever differently then I had envisioned. I hope you guys like it ( fingers crossed). Anyhoos now for Chapter 6 which is yet again the wrong holiday :). As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 6- Waifs and Strays**

"Auntie Lolai!"

Lorelai turned at the tinkling of the bell and grinned at the toddler who bounded through the open door of the diner before his parents. Hinton Mariano was the spitting image of his father, or at least he looked how Lorelai expected Jess to have looked at the same age, except for one difference. Hinton always smiled, not just smiled; beamed. Once he had got past the tiny baby stage Lorelai had not seen him so much as frown. The little boy was one of life's happy souls. She crouched down and Hinton threw himself into her arms and she scooped him up and covered him in kisses making the little boy giggle and squirm in delight. "Hello my gorgeous Hinny. How is my favourite nephew?"

"I nearly 3," Hinton told her excitedly holding out 3 fingers. "We go to zoo."

"Wow that's such a cool thing to do," Lorelai cooed at him. Hinton nodded in response and then turned his head taking in who else was in the diner. His dark eyes fell on Sam and Richard and Lorelai grinned knowingly. "You want to go play with Sam?"

"Yes."

Lorelai lowered the boy to the ground and watched him scamper over to Sam and Richard. Instantly Hinton was absorbed into an embrace from her father, the little boy delightedly calling 'Papa Ricard'. Richard and Emily did not actively encourage the little boy to consider them as kind of grandparents but Hinton had decided they were. She supposed it was because he wanted to be like the other children. With Selena having not much in the way of immediate family and Liz and TJ leading a nomadic lifestyle with the Fayre, since the little boy's birth Lorelai and Luke had stepped in to fill the hole. They had invited the young couple for the first Christmas 5 weeks after Hinton's birth. Jess and Selena had been one step away from being zombies and had relished just being looked after. Since then, every public holiday, every birthday or reason that the family had to celebrate they had been invited to attend. They came when they could, travelling the 200 miles from Philadelphia in the old station wagon that Jess had borrowed money from them to purchase. She and Luke had offered their help if it was needed. The car was the only thing Jess had ever borrowed money for after his old car unexpectedly died. No matter how careworn he and Selena appeared at times, Jess never asked for money, he was too proud for that. It wasn't the help he wanted. The real desired help came with the phone calls that Luke would occasionally get, a scared young man checking he was doing it right because he was determined not to fail at being a dad, like his had.

Lorelai turned back to the couple and held her arms out to greet Selena, the young woman dropped her bags and hugged Lorelai in almost a grateful embrace. "Don't worry oestrogen is in high abundance here."

Selena gave a light laugh and then looked over her shoulder at Jess who was silently observing. "Are you sure it's OK for Hin to stay with you?"

"Of course, he and Sam will have an amazing time together. Sam is very excited about his sleepover." Lorelai patted the young woman's arm. "It will give you two a chance to have a moment, even if it is up in Luke's old office. I'm sorry about that but the Inn is full. Wrong holiday but it's the closet stable."

"No bother," Jess subtly shook his head. "You want us to change?" he inclined his head towards Emily who was stood talking to the twins resplendent as ever in a perfect suit.

Lorelai shook her head. "It's come as you are. Though I would leave sweats for once she's gone."

"Jeggings are fine though right?" Selena asked self-consciously smoothing her hands around her hips.

"Perfect," Lorelai assured the young woman. "Now go dump your stuff and then grab a drink and chill and relax. You don't have to worry about anything until Sunday OK?" She inclined her head towards the curtain that concealed the office entrance and smiled as Selena hurried towards it. Jess remained where he was just silently taking in the surroundings "You OK?"

"Long drive," Jess mumbled. "Thanks for this though," he managed a small smile. "Sel's really looking forward to it. It's our vacation."

"We can keep hold of Hinton as long as you need. Go hit the bookshop and all the hoopla that's going on in the square," Lorelai smiled at him. "I have it on good authority that there is some excellent hotdog stands."

"Tried them already, Huh?" Jess smirked before giving her a soft nod as he moved past her heading for the office upstairs.

Lorelai watched him leave before casting her eyes around the semi-chaotic diner. The twins were happily entertained by Emily, the younger children by Richard. Rory, Spencer and Gigi were sat at a table with a far too touchy-feely Grady and Patty. April was sat with Babette and Morey. Seeing that everyone was happy for now she turned and slid behind the kitchen. Poking her head through the door she smiled as she watched Luke move expertly around the kitchen as he finalised the dishes. "You got extra marshmallows?"

"Yes, even though you don't need it," Luke muttered, stirring the gravy before lowering the burner beneath the vegetable steamer.

"I'm sweet enough," Lorelai cooed and stepped in. "Jess is here."

"Yeah?" Luke looked up for a moment before a buzzer rang out and he spun to grab a tray out of the oven. "Move that," he nodded to a tray as he straightened up. "It's gonna still be warm."

Grabbing a cloth Lorelai did as she was told and moved a tray of assorted stuffings to the side so Luke could place his tray on the heatproof part of the counter. "Aren't these supposed to go in the bird?" She pointed at the stuffings. "You know just to cram home the indignity. Here have some sage and breadcrumbs up your butt!"

"There is stuffing in the birds," Luke pointed towards the two birds that were resting beneath foil. "This is the fancier stuff and also no chance of salmonella or anything."

"You're planning on poisoning us?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows.

"No but you read things. I don't want anyone getting sick," Luke turned around as another buzzer went off and he grabbed another tray from the oven.

"You want any help?" Lorelai asked, staring at the ever multiplying trays of food and shrinking counter space.

"Go get the kids to wash their hands, make sure everyone has drinks and by the time that is done. I should be ready," Luke reeled off as he squeezed a tray onto the counter. "And ask April if she can come and help. She's not a danger to herself or anyone else in here," he added quickly before Lorelai could protest.

"Yes Sir," Lorelai mock saluted and stepped back out of the kitchen. "Apricot, Chef Boyardee needs you."

"Is it nearly ready Mommy?" Kitty sat up in her seat in excitement.

"Almost Bubba, but we have some handwashing to do and then we can say Happy Turkey Day." Lorelai moved over to the tables to try and begin the child wrangling.

"Yay," Kitty sounded, leaping off her chair. "I like Turkey Day."

"Me too," Willow agreed. "It's the only time Daddy lets us eat marshmallows for food."

"I feel exactly the same way," Lorelai tweaked their noses. "Lets go wash up."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory stepped out of her attic bedroom and paused. April was stood at her own doorway holding her toothbrush.

"I was just going to brush my teeth," April explained holding up her toothbrush to show Rory.

"Ditto," Rory waggled her own and smiled. "As long as you don't spit on me we can do it at the same time," April smiled warmly at her and the pair headed down the small cramped corridor to the bathroom at the far end of the attic. With Grace's arrival and Gigi's permanence in the family Luke had redeveloped the formerly open plan attic into a collection of smaller rooms. Initially the bathroom had still been part of Rory's room, but with the main family bathroom downstairs then having to serve six people and his annoyance at the banging that came from the door that hid the attic stairs Luke had partitioned off Rory and Spencer's sleeping area making the bathroom everyone's on that floor. Rory held the door open for April and then moved to the sink. The bathroom was small but perfectly functional, a sink, toilet and large shower enclosure, along with a storage unit with boxes that contained everyone's toiletries to keep it neat. "How is the food baby coming?" Rory asked April.

"I didn't have too much. I mean more than usual but not gut busting. I was too busy being shocked and mildly grossed out by Babette. Did you know she used to live in a commune?" April reached for the toothpaste and measured out a small amount onto her brush.

"Was this when she was in the cult?" Rory asked wetting the bristles of her brush and then accepting the toothpaste tube from April.

"After I think," April shrugged. "And between helping Dad and marshalling the purple paper argument I did not have enough time to stuff myself. You?"

"Fine on the main course overdid the pies. I had all of them twice, the sugar crash has been a bit much," Rory gave a self-deprecating smile. "Why were the twins arguing about purple paper? I missed the start just got the huffing and tutting."

"Kitty gets to write on purple paper in school, her colour or something, you know she has those screen things because of the assessment thing she had for her dyslexia. It's the same," April looked at Rory for confirmation. Rory gave a nod in understanding and rolled her hand indicating for April to go on while she began to clean her teeth. "Anyway. All the girls in the class want to write on purple paper because it's soo much better the white paper, obviously."

"Obviously!"

"That was what they were arguing about because Willow says it's not fair that she's not allowed. Kitty then went full sass mode about having a funky brain and Willow got upset because Kitty was being mean and she thought that Kitty thought that she was being mean. You know how Willow hates it when people don't like her. So that was that. Grandma fixed it," April placed her toothbrush in her mouth and began to brush.

"How did Grandma fix it?" Rory asked pausing in her tooth cleaning.

April spat and gave Rory a wry smile. "She has promised to take them out to buy special writing paper for home so that they can write her letters. Kitty and Willow made up because Dad was hinting about not letting them have marshmallows or any more pie."

Rory snorted in amusement and rinsed her brush. "Oh the hardship of being 8," April quirked her eyebrows knowingly as she continued to brush her teeth. Rory tapped her brush against the side of the sink and waited a moment to let April get to a point in her brushing where she could pause. "So, how's you, we didn't get a chance to talk. Did you get that assignment in OK? How is the rest of the year shaping up?"

"I got it in Ok, result was acceptable," April shrugged. "Just gearing up for finals for this semester and then I just have the senior research project, senior essay and a bunch of requirements. Almost at the end, scarily."

"Any thoughts about what is next?" Rory asked carefully.

"Yeah," April nodded, tapping the excess water from her brush and putting it in the toothbrush holder. "I've decided I'm going to take a year out before I go to grad school. I want to go to MIT, or Yale as my backup. I spoke to my advisor and they are fine with that. I figured I'd work on some projects, get some real-world experience, earn some money, relax a little. It gives me some time to work on what is needed for admission plus I can focus on finishing this year and also have a bit of fun. I'm going to apply to go to Canada in the Summer to do tree planting, beyond that there are a bunch of programs that some of the people who graduated last year went to."

"Sounds good. You want me to keep an eye out for anything around ours? There could be something in Washington, Intern for lobbyist or something at the EPA. You can always stay with us." Rory grinned as she saw April's eyes light up. "I'll send you anything I see."

"Thanks," April grinned. Her smile faltered slightly and she wrinkled her nose. "Are you doing OK? You sound brighter than the last time we spoke."

"Yeah," Rory nodded and looked down at the white tile on the floor. "My stupid anxiety imagining stuff there wasn't. Plus I joined a book club."

"Really?" April stifled a laugh. "That doesn't seem very you."

"It's not, the book we are reading is awful," Rory shrugged, "but it gets me out to meet people who I actually like and its mostly wine and cake."

"Cool," April gave her a knowing look.

Rory waited for the younger girl to move, watching her patiently as April dried her hands and then looked up at her "And?"

"Nothing," April shook her head and gave her a warm smile. "I'm just glad you are OK. I was worried."

"I didn't mean to make you worry," Rory wrinkled her brow. "I just… ups and downs."

"I know that." April nodded sadly as she reached for the door. "Hey did you ever get adopted by extroverts?"

"A bit," Rory followed April out the bathroom. "Though to be honest I'm not sure what Paris is."

"She's her own special category," April chuckled. "But must be nice to have someone that you've kept hold of for so long. All my 'friends' are just ships, now they've all graduated too busy for a stupid college kid," she paused as she reached her doorway. "I take after Dad," she shrugged self-deprecatingly. "Better than being like Mom though."

"How so?" Rory's brow creased as she studied the young woman.

"It doesn't matter. You should just be grateful that Lorelai is your real Mom," April waved her hand dismissively before offering a small smile. "Night Rory."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke held the door open to let Grace out onto the porch of the house. He had come back to the house during the mid-afternoon lull to enjoy some time with the family seeing as everyone was under one roof for a change. Closing the front door behind Grace he walked slowly behind her as she struggled to walk towards one of the seating areas while clutching a large colourful afghan. Jess was sat on the bench with Hinton on his lap, the two year old cooing excitedly at the light snow that was falling out of the sky. "Easy," Luke paused as Grace stumbled over the edge of the afghan. He tried to reach for it to take it from her and she gave a little squeak of annoyance. "Alright, but be careful."

"I is Daddy, it just big, and I is little," Grace attempted to roll her eyes and then held the blanket higher.

Jess and his doppelganger son turned to look at them, Hinton excitedly clapping his hands.

"I not want Hinny to get cold," Grace informed Jess dumping the blanket on the bench and then laboriously unfurling it and tucking the blanket around Hinton and Jess.

"Getting your mothering on huh?" Jess muttered, looking over the little girl's head with wry amusement at Luke.

Grace paused in her fussing for a moment and then tipped her head before narrowing her blue eyes slightly. "I not a Mommy, I'm just looking after you. That's what good girls do." She resumed tucking the blanket under Jess' thigh and then held the afghan out and looked up expectantly at Luke.

With a sigh he sat next to Jess and Grace crawled up onto his lap, wriggling into a comfortable position and tucking the afghan around herself. "You happy?" Luke asked her softly, she gave a nod of confirmation and settled back into his chest, matching Hinton's movement of tracing the falling snow flakes with her finger. Luke wrapped his arms around her and then glanced at Jess. "You guys OK?"

"We're good, giving Sel a break, the beauty parlour was open and Patty gave her a coupon so she's getting a manicure." He nodded in response to something Hinton babbled. "Yeah Buddy. She'll call me when she's done."

"It's not Kirk doing the manicure is it?" Luke asked warily.

"Some chick," Jess shrugged. "How does he get all those jobs anyway, the man is a walking joke, don't you people reference?"

"No idea," Luke mumbled, "it's bad enough having him as a customer sometimes. I don't want him anywhere near my kitchen," the pair of them fell into silence as the children on their laps continued to chatter excitedly about the snow, both of the youngsters seemingly oblivious to the slightly subdued tone of their fathers. "So?" Luke glanced at Jess.

"So," Jess repeated.

"Liz called,"

"Of course she did," Jess scowled.

"Some garbled message about needing to talk about you," Luke paused as Grace wriggled on his lap. "You guys seem fine so I figure its just Liz stuff but I just want to check."

"We're good," Jess shrugged. "It's about Doula, they are home-schooling her."

"Liz and TJ?" Luke closed his eyes in disbelief. "Because of the moving around?"

"That's it," Jess gave a soft huff, "they were thinking that maybe they could leave her with me and Sel so she had somewhere solid and put her in mainstream. I said no. TJ got involved and I may have said something I shouldn't." He glanced sideways at Luke and sighed.

"Hate the wheedling right?" Luke nodded in understanding. "Why don't they just settle down?"

"Why do Liz and TJ do anything?" Jess rolled his eyes his nostrils flared slightly. "I know she's trying to do the right thing but she doesn't think. We don't have the space anyhow. We have a 600sq ft apartment. Where did she think we could put Doula? I mean Hin's bedroom is a fenced off corner of our room."

"I know," Luke nodded. "But considering…"

"I know considering, and I think it's great she's got her…" he paused and glanced at Hinton for a second. "She's together but she can't just be whatever it is she is forever. Like get to the real-world Liz, come on."

"I think she gets it, just not how we would want," Luke smiled as Grace turned to look at him, the child's eyes narrowing as she sensed the annoyed tone that the men were using. "Everything's fine Grace."

"No fightin," Grace held up a warning finger and then returned her attention to the falling snow.

"You want me to say something to her?" Luke offered softly.

"You can try," Jess shrugged. "Don't let her try and rope you into anything. This place is full as it is."

"I'll do my best," Luke mumbled. He raised his eyebrows as almost simultaneously Hinton and Grace turned to look at him. Both children wore wide smiles and it made him feel a little unnerved as he wasn't quite sure what it was that had made them turn to look at him. "You OK?" he asked nervously.

"I love you Daddy," Grace told him and expertly repositioned herself so that she was now snuggled against his chest.

With mild bewilderment Luke cuddled her and glanced at Jess who looked equally bemused. Hinton broke the silence, his high voice chirping into the clear air. "Uncie Luke always best. Daddy say. Daddy not ever wrong," Hinton gave Luke a wide smile and then copied Grace, turning beneath the afghan and snuggling into Jess' chest.

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily looked up in confusion as the doorbell rang. Checking her watch she glanced across at Richard who was just pulling his nose out of his book.

"Are we expecting anyone, the children?" Richard asked curiously as he marked his page.

"No, we're not expecting anyone," Emily held her book on her lap and strained her ears to listen to the maid at the front door. "April?"

"April?" Richard repeated and set his book on the side table.

He got up spritely and Emily followed him to the front door. April was stood at the front door trying to explain to the maid who she was. "April," Emily smiled in delight. "Katja take our granddaughter's coat. What a wonderful surprise. I thought you were seeing your mother today."

"I was," April clipped and handed her coat to the maid. She looked down at her feet and then up at them. "I…I'm not quite ready to go home just yet and I…Is it OK to be here?"

"It is more than OK," Emily held out her hands, she could see April was struggling to articulate or at least struggling to kindly articulate what had brought around her impromptu visit. "We are always thrilled to have you spend time with us. Katja," Emily called the maid back. "Please make some tea."

"And that cake," Richard called after the maid. "She makes an excellent sacher tort. It's this rich chocolate cake," Richard told April conspiratorially.

"You really shouldn't be eating that Richard," Emily frowned at him. "Now come through to the living room. You must tell us about how college is going this year, we didn't get much of a chance to talk on Thursday." She pulled April close to her, looping her arm around April's waist and guided her into the living room. April was tense, her body stiff and she was holding her breath, comfortingly Emily rubbed April's arm and then gestured to the space on the gilt framed couch. "You're letters make is sound so exciting."

"If a little stressful," Richard chuckled as he settled into his seat, "but then MIT is one of the best universities in the country. After Yale of course."

"Of course," April smiled weakly. "No it's good. I'm getting down to the final wire. Once I finish these courses and I have my senior essay and senior research project then then an athletic requirement which is like swimming the length of a pool." Her smile softened. "I'm focusing on plastics particularly micro plastics, there is so much development in the field of research, so, fingers crossed."

Emily smiled as April's shoulders relaxed slightly, the young woman seemingly becoming more comfortable talking about something familiar. "Sorry April, what are micro plastics?" Emily asked quietly encouraging April to relax further.

"Oh, they are…" April paused and tipped her head considering how to answer, "like exfoliants in the shower, they can have these little microbeads. Those go into the water course and then they can end up in fish that we eat, it's a major problem."

"Another reason not to eat fish," Richard gave a good-natured shiver. "If there are any papers you would recommend, do let me know. I always find them fascinating."

"He doesn't understand a word," Emily conspiratorially to April while smiling pleasantly at Richard who looked mildly offended but then broke into a smile. "But perhaps in that vein are there any textbooks you would like for Christmas, I know how expensive they can be," she smiled as April's face broke into an excited smile and the young woman sat up in excitement. "Write down the ISBN's and give them to Lorelai and we can get them for you."

"That would be amazing," April grinned.

The trio looked up as the maid came back laden with a tea tray. Emily opened her mouth to instruct the maid where to put the tray but paused as she heard April give a tiny little contented sigh, momentarily causing her to lose her train of thought. Before she could recollect herself the maid had set the tray down with slightly too much force and scurried away.

"That cake does look good," April commented leaning forward.

"Eat as much of it as you like. It prevents your grandfather from eating it," Emily shot a pointed look at Richard, "Hopefully the tea set isn't cracked given the force that she put it down with," Emily griped, scanning her china carefully.

"It's fine Emily," Richard leaned forward to get a piece of cake. "You have at least four other sets that can be used if this one gets broken." He sat back and smiled triumphantly at his slice of cake. "Do have some though, it really is excellent."

"Thank you," April took a piece and sat back against the chair. "Thank you for letting me interrupt you."

"You are not interrupting," Emily patted her knee. "We've told you, we love spending time with you, and you are always welcome here." She forced her smile to remain fixed as April's eyes teared up slightly and she patted April's knee again.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory paused in her reading as out of the corner of her eyes she saw Selena slip into the living room and sit nervously on the couch. It was Saturday afternoon and everyone was on the come down from the holiday weekend before they all began the respective trips back to their own homes. The men had all disappeared off somewhere, Jess and Luke somewhat reluctantly being dragged off by Grady and Spencer to go to a bar in Woodbridge to watch some sporting event. April had gone to visit her Mom. The children had positioned themselves around the house, Kitty directing some elaborate performance with Grace, Hinton and Sam, while Willow and Gigi had settled into the library to discuss Harry Potter in fervent whispers and shrieks of 'no spoilers'. She, Lorelai and Selena had spent a fun afternoon just talking before Lorelai and Selena had gone off to see if there was any of Sam's old things that could be used for Hinton so Rory had curled up in the easy chair near the library to read the book she was supposed to be reviewing for a journal. Rory closed her book and smiled at the young woman, "You find some stuff?" she asked softly.

"Loads," Selena smiled awkwardly. "Your Mom is making coffee."

"Good, I need another fix," Rory gave the young woman an easy smile. There was nervousness rolling off Selena and she wasn't sure why. She got on well with Jess' partner, Selena was sweet, soft spoken and smart. In some ways Selena reminded her of her just with more street smarts. "You OK?"

"I'm fine," Selena shrugged and then gave soft sigh followed by a small self-deprecating smile. "I always feel guilty when I take so much."

"Mom wouldn't offer it if she couldn't spare it."

"I know," Selena shrugged again. "It's dumb." She looked down at her hands and then across at Rory. "What are you reading?"

"Something I have to review for a journal I do work for. So far not worth the hype but I'm only in a bit in, it may get better," Rory set her book down. An uneasy pause settled between them for a moment. Selena shifted nervously and Rory crinkled her brow. "You sure your OK?"

"Yeah," Selena nodded. "I love coming here, you guys always make me feel so welcome and I already feel guilty over how generous everyone is and then your Mom's given me all of Sam's old things. I mean some of it is hardly worn."

"Two prong problem of he grows so fast and Grandma and Grandpa spoil him," Rory smiled warmly. "Seriously Mom wouldn't have offered if it wasn't going spare. Don't worry about it."

"I'll try not to," Selena's smile relaxed. "Is it freaking you out how quiet it is, with all the kids I thought it would be louder."

"Don't say the q word!" Rory closed her eyes in mock despair. Almost in answer a howl sounded from the play room at the back of the house and Rory gave Selena a pointed look. "Your fault, you jinxed it."

"Sorry," Selena chuckled and followed the noise out into the hallway, the children had stumbled out of the play room with Sam in floods of tears and who was now being tended to by Lorelai. "What happened?" Selena asked carefully making her way over to Hinton and Grace.

"Sam tried to do a handstand," Kitty told her tiredly. "He went splat but not in a good way."

"He's got a nice egg," Lorelai explained as she tended to the sobbing child. "A little bit of a smooshed face," She frowned and stood lifting Sam into her arms. "Come on Little Man, let Mommy make it better. Babes can you…" she gestured to the other children and then made her way up the stairs so she could properly tend to the little boy.

Rory turned to usher the other kids back into the playroom.

"It's not my fault," Kitty stated indignantly.

"No one said it is," Rory assured her. "So what were you doing?"

"We was playing pretend," Grace informed them rushing to take hold of Hinton's hand. "We show you. Sit down," she pointed at the child sized seats. "This is how we play pretend."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory gently closed the door to the attic stairs careful to not make any more sound then necessary. It was early, the morning sky not yet influenced by daylight, and the only light on the landing was a nightlight that must be there to help her younger siblings find their way to the bathroom should they need it. Owing to holiday flight madness and she and Spencer not getting their butts in gear they had only been able to book a 7.45am flight. Spencer was upstairs trying to wake himself up properly with a shower and she had left Gigi to sleep for a little while longer. Lorelai was supposed to be driving them to the airport but Rory needed to check that she was alright to do so as she knew her mother would have had little or no sleep. Carefully Rory made her way down to Sam's bedroom, sure enough Lorelai was curled into the armchair in the corner of the room her eyes fixed on Sam watching his every breath. Rory slipped into the bedroom and waved gently. Lorelai's face lifted from it's sombre study and she beckoned Rory over to her.

"Hi", Rory whispered settling onto the arm of the chair as indicated by Lorelai. "You get any sleep?"

"A little," Lorelai wrapped her arms around Rory's waist.

Rory allowed herself to be pulled by Lorelai nearly onto her lap. "He's OK."

"I know," Lorelai returned to her study of Sam, "but he took a real knock. With a head injury I just want to make sure," she gave a faint shudder and her grip intensified around Rory.

"You want me to ask Luke to drive us to the airport, or I can call a cab?" Rory asked softly, cuddling Lorelai back from her awkward position.

"I can take you still," Lorelai told her quietly. "I need to spend some time with you. I haven't had much of a Rory fix this weekend." She lightly stroked Rory's arm. "Too many other people and then a smooshed boy."

"Poor smooshed boy," Rory cooed looking across at her little brother. The lump on the side of his face had gone down but even in the dark she could see the bloom of a blue bruise. "Maybe we should arrange to do something just us in the new year."

"I'd love to."

"But?" Rory spoke the hesitance she found in her Mom's voice.

"I don't know how to fit it in with work, with no Sookie, there is the bedding in of the new kitchen team, plus all the kids' stuff. I can't leave that all to Luke, poor thing would lose his mind. He would actually kill someone." Lorelai gave a wry smile. "Probably Taylor, at the very least he would make Ed cry. And what about Gigi?"

"Less work then my brother and sisters, plus she's a reader, she doesn't have all the crazy activities they do," Rory chewed her lip. "What about spring break?"

"What we fly down to Florida and party like we want to be on MTV with Carson Daly?"

"Is MTV still a thing?" Rory looked down at Lorelai curiously.

Lorelai frowned slightly. "I dunno, I'll have to check the list on the TV. Boy were The Buggles wrong, video did not kill the radio star because radio still exists and videos are not a big thing anymore. But seriously, you want to do Spring Break?"

"Not do Spring Break, but meet up and do something just us even if it's just for the day at Spring break time." Rory gave her Mom a hopeful look.

"I could fly down and sort out your soft furnishings," Lorelai suggested with a smile. "You need your blankets, all those pictures have been a little too House Beautiful minimalist, not enough lived in." she moved her hand to stroke the blue blanket that she was partly wrapped in. "We can shop, hit the mall, mani pedi, copious coffee, chat the day away, just like old times."

"Perfect."

"Send me the dates and I will start constructing a plan."

"Cool," Rory smiled and rested her chin against the top of Lorelai's head. She gave a contented sigh, just the vaguest of plans made her feel better, just the thought of spending some quality time with her Mom by herself was bliss. She loved her family deeply, loved her siblings and couldn't imagine a world without them but, every once in a while, she wished for the time when it was just her and her Mom. Just them against the world with the occasional visit to Luke's to fuel up. Their quieter life back then was so simple in comparison to the crazy beautiful patchwork quilt of a life they had now. She loved her patchwork quilt but sometimes a simple wool blanket was what was needed. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too Babe."


	7. The Little Things

**AN - Thank you so much guys, and welcome to the new followers there was a bit of a flurry this week it's llifted me because I'm having a bit of a week, so thank you and I'm so pleased that you guys like it :) I can't really answer anything without spoiling but answers are forth coming over the next few chapters. So onwards. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and gratefully recieved, Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy Kate x**

* * *

 **Chapter 7– The Little Things**

Lorelai noticed the pointed look that the twins gave each other out of the corner of her eye. Slowly she turned herself away from Grace and watched them carefully. Ever since they were tiny they had had this uncanny ability to communicate with each other without saying a word. Rory and April had in turn both hypothesised the twin bond, and when it came up they would delve into a long conversation about linguistics and genetics. Lorelai just knew it meant that the twins were working up to something, each of them egging the other on. She tried to get Luke's attention across the table, trying to warn him that something might be about to happen but he was too distracted in trying to get Sam to eat his green beans while Sam was too busy chattering to Richard. Lorelai raised her eyebrows as she watched Kitty nodded insistently at Willow and then jerk her fork towards Emily.

"Grandma, dogs are really pretty aren't they?" Willow sounded lightly.

Luke's head jerked up and he turned to look at Willow alongside him.

"Some breeds are," Emily agreed after she swallowed her mouthful.

"And dogs are so friendly and lovely," Willow pressed on. "And are so loyal."

"They can be," Emily agreed nodding along. Emily raised her eyes for a moment, seemingly noting the look from Luke. Slowly, Emily sat back in her chair and glanced at Lorelai. Emily raised and lowered her chin with a note of understanding. "But dogs are a lot of work. You have to feed them and walk them."

"Clean up their poop," Lorelai added, reaching to capture a piece of food that was about to fall from Grace's spoon and cascade down her dress.

"Lorelai," Emily admonished, "not at the dinner table."

"Well you do." Lorelai wiped Grace's mouth.

"We really think we should get a dog," Willow continued looking uncertainly down at her plate, her bravado failing her a she caught first Lorelai's eye and then Luke. "Don't you think…that…that would be good idea," her voice levelled to barely a whisper.

"Perhaps in a few years," Emily offered kindly. "I think that your poor Mommy and Daddy have lots and lots to do already and puppies take a lot of work."

"Maybe you could get a dog," Kitty suggested looking hopefully at Emily taking over as Willow slowly sank down in her seat. "Then we can play with it and love it, but Mommy and Daddy won't…"

Lorelai stifled a smile as Kitty trailed off owing to the horrified looks on her grandparents faces. Both Richard and Emily had gone completely pale, their eyebrows raised nearly to their hairlines and their eyes wide.

"I think Grandma and Grandpa's house has too many nice carpets and expensive furniture for a dog. Lots of their furniture is antiques like what Mrs Kim sells," Lorelai smoothed over. "We don't want that chewed on by a puppy." Kitty and Willow let out sad resigned sighs. Lorelai patted Kitty's hand, "we'll look at dogs again in a few years when everyone is a bit older." She smiled as the twins groaned softly.

"It's not that we don't like dogs, just our lifestyle is not best suited to a dog," Richard explained to the twins. "Plus there is the old adage. A puppy is for life not just for Christmas," Richard intoned. "Speaking of which."

"It's nearly here," Kitty straightened up. "19 sleeps to go!"

"Sleeps?" Emily inhaled with an air of distaste. "I suppose, technically that is correct."

"Mom," Lorelai admonished lightly. The children were all beyond excited that Christmas was approaching, even Grace who this year actually seemed to know what was going on. The square in Stars Hollow was in its Christmas plumage, festooned with fairy lights and giant baubles and overnight a large sign had appeared stating that Father Christmas would be making an appearance in the gazebo had sent excitement levels stratospheric.

"Speaking of which," Richard reiterated drawing the attention back to him. "Your grandmother and I were wondering if you might like to see the Christmas Pageant at the Hartford Stage?"

"The Theatre!" Willow sat up in excitement. Her nerves of the ill-fated puppy talk forgotten. "We can go to a proper theatre?"

"Yes," Emily smiled indulgently at her. "The Hartford Stage are hosting a Christmas Pageant for Children on the 13th December."

"You bought us tickets?" Willow looked between her Grandparents a smile forming on her face. "Oh Grandma!" She launched herself out of her chair, and threw her arms around Emily's neck in excitement.

"It looks super fancy," Lorelai chimed in seeing the slightly bemused expressions on the other children's faces. "There is going to be singing and dancing…"

"Dancing?" Kitty sat up straighter, her expression brightening.

"And acrobats," Lorelai continued, grinning as Kitty gave a squeak of excitement, "And lights and fake snow. I'm really jealous that I don't get to see it."

"Just us and Granma and Grandpa?" Sam pointed to himself.

"Just you," Lorelai nodded. "Mommy and Daddy both have work. Boo. So you get to get to see this totally amazing show…"

"And," Emily cut across Lorelai. She disentangled herself from Willow and rushed out of her seat to collect four boxes that were stacked near the door. "We bought you outfits to wear. The dress code is casual but a little bit of pretty never hurt anyone." She settled the boxes on the table and quickly passed them out to their correct owner. "Sam, I brought Grandpa the same sweater so you can match."

"Don't worry Hun," Lorelai called across at Luke who she could tell had resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the thought of matching cross generational sweaters. "I got him a plaid shirt and cap to match you," She sat back into her chair as Emily shot her an affronted look. "I'm sure it's a nice sweater Mom."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So is there anything else we need to get?" Spencer asked quietly.

Rory looked up from the seemingly never-ending list she was constructing. "No, we have our marching orders." She grimaced and looked at Spencer hopefully. "Do we have to go to the mall?"

"Yes," Spencer smiled playing along with her. He walked forward and squeezed her shoulder. "You said it one day of pain. We get in, we get out with our ears bleeding, our feet sore, our wallets empty and credit cards tired. This is the Gilmore-Anderton Christmas Shopping Expedition and we are going to crush it," he looked around as Gigi gave a mildly deriding snort. "Right Gigi?"

"You are a dork Dad," Gigi shook her head as she moved to grab her coat. "Our ears are bleeding because of the Christmas music right?" he looked at him warily as she buttoned her coat.

"Yes," Rory nodded and took a sharp intake of breath, "and I have it on good authority that Frozen is classed as Christmas music now, so be prepared for small children to sing it at you."

"I don't get it, Frozen is a film right?" Spencer looked at her bemused.

"Which is very popular with kids. Grace was singing and humming the songs for an hour at Thanksgiving," Rory shot him a pointed look. "Poor Luke looked like he was ready to implode. It is a very touchy subject."

"I thought you said that your Mom said the dog thing was the thing stressing him out," Spencer frowned as he folded his section of Rory's meticulous list and placed it carefully into his pocket.

"Luke is multifaceted small thing stressed," Rory shrugged. She paused as she fiddled with her scarf and then looked cautiously at Spencer. "Should we get Miss Patty more?"

"Then what we put down?" Spencer dug out his list and stared at it. "Why? She's in the friend section, gift undetermined, price set."

"Yeah but she's with your Dad, sort of," Rory gathered her purse and a fabric tote bag. "Maybe that should mean we spend a bit more on her then Sookie and Babette," she stifled a smile as Spencer scowled. "Or not."

"Dad can spend money on her if he wants." Spencer shoved the list roughly back into his pocket. "Anyway we should get moving, traffic is going to be a horror!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"My parents do just not understand a word I say."

April looked up from her textbooks as Haley dropped dramatically into the seat opposite. The young women threw her phone away in disgust and earning herself a dirty look from the students the table one over from them.

"In relation to something specific?" Carice asked in a bored tone without looking up from her own books.

"They asked me about my course and then when I started explaining, they did the talking over me thing about Dad's golf." Haley sighed dramatically. "I mean why ask if they don't want the answer?"

"If you were trying to explain Markov and Bayesian models in relation to Computational Biology," Carice flicked the other girl's books. "I understand them. But at least they ask."

"My Dad's stopped asking about what I was learning freshman year." April chimed in. "Now he just asks how long the assignment is, and when it is due in by," she smiled softly. "He tries but I get the 'uh-huh'," she imitated Luke's uncertain utterance, "whenever I start talking about the actual content."

"Mine don't even bother," Carice added her tone still bored. "They are still mad at me for doing Political Science and not Business Analytics, well Dad is, but then he's a business analyst," she shrugged dismissively as she continued to write on her notebook. "Chill out Haley, you're going to get us kicked out if you don't quieten down. The demon librarian is on today."

"Fine," Haley shrugged and opened her books. "Tell her off," she pointed at April, "her phone is buzzing."

"It's her Mom," Carice muttered without looking up. "She doesn't answer her Mom's phone calls."

"You don't?" Haley gave an intrigued trill. "Reason?"

"Um…" April looked at the offending device and blushed. "We're kind of going through a bit of a thing, and if I answer now it will throw me off my work rhythm."

"You don't have to tell her anything," Carice looked up at April. "She's just being a nosy bitch."

"It's what I do," Haley shrugged reaching for her own phone and sliding her thumb across the screen to open it. "What time was your class?"

"Three," April and Carice answered at the same time.

"Two fifty," Haley muttered tapping her phone screen.

"Crap," Carice scribbled faster across her notepad. "It is getting harder and harder to stay on track."

"Perhaps we should give the party a miss tonight?" April suggested quietly as she began to pack up her things.

"Not happening. Night before a test is the only time a bail," Carice smiled finishing her sentence and grabbing her books. "Do some actual work." She gave Haley a pointed look and then inclined her head backwards indicating to April that she was ready to leave.

April followed the other girl out of the large library and out into the freezing campus. In the month since she had been properly introduced to Carice and her friends she had felt more at home in the college then she had the previous two tears. Her freshman year she had been looked after to a certain degree by a group of seniors in the conservation group she was part of but as they were seniors they had graduated. The last two years she had struck something of a loner living, perfectly amiable with those in her classes but struggling in the social aspect. She always felt like she was butting in, as everyone had already established their friendship groups the year before. Putting herself out there a bit with these girls didn't fill her with the crunching feeling she got in her chest when she spoke to new people. They accepted her for who she was and were pulling her out of her shell.

"You know," Carice broke the silence as they hurried along the path. "You don't have to tell any of us if you don't want to, but if you want to talk about whatever this 'thing' is with your Mom. Any of us would be open to listening, though Haley is probably at the bottom of the empathy tree. I'm this way." She pointed down the path towards her building. "And we're going to the party! No excuses!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Richard smiled down at his grandson as the little boy studied the list of snacks available to them from their place in the line. It was intermission at the performance and the amenities area of the theatre was filled with excitable children and slightly harried looking parents. Emily was presumably still stuck in the ladies' room line with the twins and Grace. He and Sam being blessed with a short men's room line had resolved to get the half time snacks.

"Can we have ice cream?" Sam asked pointing to the board while they waited to be served.

"I was going to get us all ice cream and a pack of gummy bears. You like gummy bears don't you?" Richard jiggled Sam's hand.

"I like Gummy bears," Sam nodded eagerly. "But Daddy doesn't like it when we have too much candy."

"Ice cream isn't candy," Richard assured him, "and a small bag of gummy bears between 6 people won't be too many." He smiled as Sam gave a little delighted jump. "Should I get Vanilla?"

"Can I have cookie?" Sam pointed to the board. "Kitty likes Cookie too."

"Its cookie dough," Richard read the board, "it means it's not cooked."

"No, that one," Sam pointed out an ice-cream sandwich comprising two cookies with chocolate chip ice-cream in between.

"I see," Richard did a mental calculation and decided ice-cream sandwiches could be contained within the packaging and would be easier for the children to eat. "I shall get that for all of you."

"OK," Sam bounced excitedly as the line moved forward.

A few minutes later the pair stood to the side waiting for the girls to reappear. Sam was reverently holding his ice cream sandwich packet waiting for his sisters so he could be 'fair' but Richard could see the boys desire to eat his sweet treat was winning out.

"Why do girls take so long?" Sam huffed shaking his head as he stared wantonly at his ice-cream.

"Girls have to use cubicles," Richard explained vaguely, his eyes trained on the hallway where Emily had taken the girls. "But they are coming, look," he pointed down the hallway where he could see Emily striding down. He forced himself to smile as Emily moved towards him. Her lips were pulled into a straight line and he could tell she was fighting to keep her annoyance in check. "Hello girls," he smiled as the girls fluttered up beside them, their excitement still palpable and the light up fairy wands that had been purchased upon entering the theatre still strobing in garish pink LED lights. "I bought you ice cream sandwiches. Lets go back to our seats and we can all enjoy them," he chuckled as Sam made a dart for the door but kept his grip firm so the child could not run away into the crowd.

"This is the best day," Willow bounced alongside them before seizing Emily's hand. "I love the theatre, it's so pretty."

"It is a little different to usual," Emily commented, steering Willow and Grace back towards their seats. "No light up wands and usually less children."

"That mean the line isn't always that long?" Kitty asked as she started her way along the row to reclaim her seat.

"Not usually _that_ long," Emily told her with an air that said she agreed with Kitty's sentiment entirely.

Kitty reached her seat and turned to look at Richard her face a delighted smile. "Can I have my ice cream now?"

"Of course Lo…Kitty," Richard fumbled. He handed one of the wrapped treats out to Kitty and smiled at her hoping she wouldn't notice his faux pas, though he knew she had. Kitty opened her mouth for a second as if to retort but instead took the ice cream with a quiet thank you. He turned around to give Willow her ice cream and Emily, Grace's.

Willow took the packet gratefully and then smiled up at him. "We look like Mommy, don't we?"

"Yes," Richard agreed with her. "You do."

"Good," Willow bounced into her seat. "Mommy's really pretty."

"Yes, she is," Richard agreed and sat down. "Leave the ice cream in the wrapper a little. That way it won't drip,"

"Good idea Grandpa," Willow beamed at him. "That way we won't get messy."

Richard smiled at her and then turned his attention to Sam, opening the packet and pushing the ice-cream out enough for the little boy to eat. He sat back in his seat as the children descended into silence, distracted by their ice cream treat. He cleared his throat and Emily turned away from Grace, whose ice cream she was holding in an attempt to control the potential mess, to look at him. She smiled, her face relaxing showing him that it was merely the length of the bathroom line that had frustrated her. The bell rang to indicate that intermission was coming to a close and Richard sat back in his seat. As the lights dimmed, so that the auditorium was lit solely by emergency lighting and multitudes of strobing light wands, he felt a small hand loop round his arm. He looked down to his left as Kitty slowly leaned in against him. Her attention was on the now lit stage, and she was nibbling at her ice cream sandwich but her fingers were lightly stroking his arm, her head, a heavy almost familiar pressure on his bicep. Slowly he lowered his head and kissed her crown, she gave a happy wriggle and gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai held her finger up to silence Sookie as her cell phone rang. "Sorry Sookie, it's Rory, I need to talk to her about details."

"Say Hi for me," Sookie grinned obliviously and turned back to her work.

Lorelai waited until she was out of the kitchen before she connected the call. "Thank you for saving me."

"Christmas party prep hell?" Rory chuckled down the phone.

"No we're organised, Arielle is a godsend." Lorelai glanced over her shoulder as she moved into the staff room before entering her small office. "It's Sookie. She will not shut up about her sabbatical. I'm trying to stay optimistic but…yeah…so distract the Mommy."

"I was just called to talk about the pictures you sent. The kids look cute."

"They were really excited. And we're all going to Sniffy's for dinner so they should sleep for England tomorrow," Lorelai flopped into her seat and massaged her temples. "You OK?"

"We're stuck in traffic trying to get home, we misjudged and hit a concert or something."

"All of you?" Lorelai asked with a faint edge of sympathy.

"All of us," Gigi's slightly muffled voice called out over the phone. "Hi!"

"Hello Cutie, you get me a good present," Lorelai smiled.

"Sworn to secrecy," Gigi giggled, her voice clearer. "Mom wants to talk, see you in a few weeks, give everyone love."

"I will and love you too." Lorelai listened to the sound of the phone being passed around. She waited until she heard Rory's breath before speaking. "So any hints?"

"None, but I promise you can shake, squeeze and sniff when we come up. We both have our leave confirmed so we'll be up on Christmas Eve hopefully not too late but who knows with traffic and then stay till the Sunday, we need to get back for Grady. His route is taking him past us on the 29th. Let us know if there is anything you want us to bring."

"Just yourselves and my present of course," Lorelai forced herself to smile. "Grandma is doing Christmas so expect a big hoopla. What was that?" she asked in response to a noise at Rory's end.

"We're moving again, I guess they've cleared whatever was causing the hold-up," Rory explained. "I'll check with Grandma. Talk tomorrow, just us."

"I look forward to it, Bye Babe." Lorelai closed the call and sat back into her office chair. She had a pile of extra work to do because of holidays and Christmas parties but she was just not in the mood today. She felt exhausted and over emotional. Sookie had been pushing all her buttons today with her excitement and while she knew that Sookie was only going to be gone for a few months she really didn't want her nose to be rubbed in it. Especially not after having to spend time redoing Manny and Jorge's contracts for their temporary assignments and reworking their refurbishment budget to give Sookie the money she still wanted even though she wasn't there. With a sigh she reached to look at the first thing she needed to do. There was a knock at the door before she was even able to reach for it. "Yeah?"

The door opened and the weekend assistant manager Arielle poked her head in "Lorelai, I'm so sorry to bother you, we're trying to book taxi's for tonight. The organiser called and asked us to arrange more and Murphy's is tapped. Can I get the number for the firm in Woodbury?"

"Sure," Lorelai reached for their filing cabinet. "Remind me why I thought arranging taxis was a good idea again?" She rifled through her files. "It's not like these are grown adults who can arrange their own cars or hire an uber." She found the folder that she needed and pulled out the business card for the cab company in Woodbury. "Here you go. Otherwise you guys good?"

"We're good, everything is set." Arielle smiled weakly. "And it wasn't your idea it was Michel's."

"Ahh yes," Lorelai nodded in amused understanding. "Well you have me for another twenty minutes then I have to go, but I have my cell if you need me."

"We won't," The young woman smiled at her. "Nothing I can't handle. I'm old hat at this."

"Oh Arielle," Lorelai fixed the young woman with a pointed stare. "You cannot call yourself old at twenty-four. Those of us who are nearly double that age are not appreciative of it."

"Sorry," Arielle fake grimaced. "I'll mind my tongue. Oh and thank you for the extra shifts, every little helps right now."

"Christmas is always a tough time," Lorelai nodded in understanding.

"Oh," Arielle shifted awkwardly. "No, um my Mom lost her job. The company she worked for went bust. I'm having to cover all the bills so any extra shifts during the day you have I'll take them, I don't care the pay level. Anything is better than nothing. I just can't do nights. I work at the 24hr gas station at night."

"You do?" Lorelai looked at the young woman in surprise. Arielle had worked for them for seven years starting as a weekend receptionist while still in high school and had taken on more and more responsibility to the point that Lorelai had created the weekend assistant manager role for her. Arielle managed most of the functions at the weekend. Arielle was conscientious, efficient and supremely organised. She was the perfect employee and if there was the budget for it Lorelai would have taken her on full time. "I'm sorry, I didn't know, and I'm sorry about your Mom," Lorelai smiled apologetically. She glanced down at her pile of work and then looked back at the young woman. "Would your Mom be up for working in the kitchen. We need a prep cook for three months while Sookie's off?"

"Really?" Arielle's face lit up.

"Really," Lorelai nodded. "If she won't mind being the grunt," Lorelai grabbed the job description she needed to create an advert from and spun her chair around to use the copier. Grabbing the copy from the tray she held it out to Arielle. "She gets first refusal. I need an answer by Wednesday."

"Thanks Lorelai," Arielle took the proffered paper and folded it neatly before tucking it away.

"And I'll make sure Michel asks you first if we need cover." Lorelai assured her. "You have younger brothers and sisters, right?"

"Four," Arielle grimaced. "Three still at home, Jamison is in the army."

"If you get short on anything let me know OK," Lorelai looked at the young woman seriously, "like if you need credit, come speak to me first OK."

"I will. Thank you Lorelai." Arielle blushed and then bowed her head. "I really appreciate it."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Don't you want to go in?" Lorelai asked Luke as he finally pulled the keys out of the ignition of the minivan. "We could get a drink."

"Let's wait," Luke looked over at her. "I like the quiet even if it's just for a minute."

"You're expecting me to be quiet," Lorelai teased lightly but said nothing further instead reaching across the car to lightly stroke his hair. He had removed his cap for once and she lightly stroked the streaks of grey that ran through his brown hair. "You want me to cut your hair for you tomorrow?" she asked softly, curling his hair behind his ear.

"Yeah," Luke gave a curt nod. "It's getting long." He remained silent for a few seconds before giving a mildly relieved sigh. "You ever notice how nutty people get this time of year? It's one day. All day the diner was filled with crazy people."

"I know, we just have to get through New Year's and then everyone will go back to being miserable." Lorelai smiled softly at him.

"Until that stupid Founders day festival and Valentine's day festival and Spring festival and Easter festival." Luke grumbled. "Why does there always have to be something on? Why can't we just have a week of peace without some dumb festival going on in this crazy town?"

"Oh, you got Taylored today," Lorelai smiled sympathetically at him. "You want me to set the kids on him?"

"Yeah," Luke brightened before shaking his head. "No, it's fine. I just, you know."

"I know," Lorelai smoothed his hair. "Why don't we have a day together when everyone is up. Just us. We can go escape for a few hours. Get Rory or April to watch the kids and just vanish. I'll even do a mini hike with you if that is what you want." She grinned as Luke brightened again. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded with a mild air of excitement. "Just us for a few hours. I'd like that, you don't have to hike though, we can do something else, just as long as it's quiet."

"OK and good because I am really not hiking material, but the thoughts of aloneness will have to wait. Kids Ahoy," Lorelai nodded out of the window as her parent's cars pulled into the parking lot. "Now we are either going to have excited bundles of energy or crying moppets." Lorelai reached for her door handle.

"Excited bundles." Luke sounded. He nodded towards Richard's car. Kitty had clambered out of the back and was bouncing alongside Richard as he rounded the car to get to the other side to let Sam out. "You think he has child locks on?"

"Kitty Kat can get out of anything," Lorelai shrugged and pushed out of the car. She rounded the front of the minivan and made her way over to Emily's car. Willow was hovering beside Emily chattering a mile a minute, her voice high with excitement. "You have a good time Honeybunch?" Lorelai asked. She grinned as Willow spun to look at her and then raced into her arms with a delighted chuckle. "That good huh?"

"It was amazing Mommy, there was singing and dancing and music. And we had gummy bears and ice cream and Grandma and Grandpa bought us a programme and fairy wands." She held out her new toy fumbling for a second as she held the large colour programme before she managed to illuminate the light. "Look!"

"Wow!" Lorelai agreed, taking the light up wand and twirling it in her hands. "You guys are so lucky. I just had silly old work, and Daddy got Taylored."

"Because he won't put decorations up until the week before Christmas." Willow nodded in understanding and then shook her head. "I'll draw him some things so maybe Mr Doose will leave him alone."

"That's an amazing idea." Lorelai handed Willow back her wand. "Go say Hi to Daddy."

"OK," Willow gave her a beaming smile and skipped over to Luke who was busy getting the low down from Kitty and Sam.

Lorelai stepped in closer to the car. Emily was fumbling with the safety straps on Grace's car seat, struggling to get them undone. "I got it Mom." She waited for Emily to step back and then quickly undid the strap and hauled Grace out of her car seat. "You have a good time Shortcake?" Lorelai asked the three year old.

"Yup," Grace nodded excitedly. "We gotted icecream with cookies." She looked over her shoulder at Emily "The book had lots of pretty pictures in."

"Cool, Grandma and Grandpa really spoiled you huh?" Lorelai bounced Grace slightly. "You guys are so lucky," she took a step backwards to that Emily could close the door and studied her mother. Emily looked rumpled and tired, her clothes covered with the trace of what she guessed was the ice cream. She smiled warmly. "Good job wrangling the horde Mom."

"Yes, well," Emily bristled slightly before smiling softly. "Thank you Lorelai. They were all very well behaved just extremely excitable."

"Well singing and dancing and light up wands. Not to mention ice-cream, and programmes," Lorelai held her arm out to let Emily go past. "Who wouldn't be excited?"


	8. The women in my life

**AN - Thanks everyone. Patty is kind of with Grady, it was alluded to in the previous story, Grady's job takes him all over the place and he has ladies in port so to speak who he will stay with. Hinton is actually named for S.E. Hinton author of the Outsiders, I figured Jess would be into that book and would probably want some kind of literary name but wouldn't want something generic like Charles or Jack (for Bukowski (sp) and Karouac). I always think the Gilmores would have been awesome grandparents it's that little bit away that they can spoil but they aren't close enough to try and force (or have direct control to force, Emily sure did try to get her own way.) One of the thing I'm sad we never got to properly see. Anywho, a Luke chapter, poor boy he's having a bad couple of days. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 – The women in my life **

Luke yawned. His eyes shot open as he managed to inhale a fluff of curls. Coughing and wiping his mouth he peered down. At some point during the night unbeknownst to him their youngest had snuck into their bed and snuggled into Lorelai's embrace. He hated that Grace did that. At 3 and a half she was old enough to sleep in her own room but every once in a while Grace went against that notion and crept stealth like into the bed. Seeing as how it was early, he couldn't articulate his annoyance to Lorelai nor could he move Grace into her own bed as Lorelai was cuddling her too tightly. With a frustrated grumble he pushed his way out of bed and instantly tripped over something that shouldn't be on the floor. The lump on the floor gave a shrill cry and Luke managed to stay upright but careered into the chest of drawers. He turned around, keeping the curse that was on the tip of his tongue repressed as he took in Kitty and Willow on the floor in some kind of pillow, blanket nest. Slowly, as sleep left her Willow began to whimper and she reached for her leg which was evidently the thing that had made him stumble. The whimper became a cry and he realised she was probably actually hurt. Especially seeing as she had just had something three times her weight step on her.

"What happened?" Lorelai sleepily asked, emerging from beneath Grace.

Luke crouched to the floor. "What are you doing on the floor Wills?" He asked scooping Willow up and bringing her to sit on his knee on the bed so he could assess how hurt she really was. He cradled his daughter to him as she took large ragged sobs. "Where does it hurt?" Willow didn't say anything instead pointing to her thigh.

"What happened?" Lorelai repeated crawling across the mattress to first turn on the light and then sit next to him so she could take a look.

"The twins were on the floor," Luke looked towards Kitty for explanation. "I stepped on her or kicked her. I'm not sure. It was dark. I don't get why they were on the floor."

"We wanted you," Kitty half explained as she pulled the blankets that she and Willow had brought with them towards the bed.

Luke stared at her blankly as she clambered around both he and Lorelai and then nestled in beside Grace, the two little girls cuddling each other once they had rearranged the blankets around them. He tenderly rubbed Willow's back. "I'm sorry Wills. I wasn't expecting you on the floor," he tried to calm her as she continued to cry.

"I'll go get some ice," Lorelai kissed Willow on the crown and then stumbled off the bed leaving Luke alone with their three youngest daughters.

Luke copied Lorelai, pressing his lips against Willow's hair, trying in vain to provide her some bit of comfort as she sobbed inconsolably into his chest. The worst possible start to the day. He looked over his shoulder at Kitty and Grace. It was the weekend before Christmas. The children had all gathered themselves into an exhausted bundle brought about from excitement for the upcoming visit from Santa Claus. The twins were especially tired having finally broken up from school for the winter break.

"Daddy," Willow whimpered plaintively and mashed her face into his chest.

"I know, I'm sorry," Luke mumbled, cuddling her as tight as he could.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Ceser, where is that tuna melt?" Luke called into kitchen for the third time. The diner was packed, the middle of the Saturday lunch rush and Ceser seemed to have slipped into the slowest pace possible.

"Why would anyone want a tuna melt? Cheese and fish what a puke fest. Nothing against your cooking though Luke. A fine establishment."

Luke took a calming breath before he turned to face the person who had spoken. "TJ?"

"Luke Buddy. Good to see you." TJ gave him a beaming smile and opened his arms as if expecting Luke to lean across the counter to hug him. When Luke remained motionless, TJ dropped his arms and gestured towards the back of the diner. "Doula and Liz are using the can."

Luke closed his eyes for a moment trying to absorb the TMI moment and then reopened his eyes to stare at his brother-in-law. "I didn't know you guys were coming?"

"Christmas it's a time for family, we figured we'd swing by and spend some quality time…"

"Quality time?" Luke cut TJ off, folding his arms tightly in front of him and trying to resist the urge to pull his ears towards his shoulders.

"LUKE!"

His head snapped around as Liz ebulliently called his name.

"Hey Big Brother!"

"Hey," Luke clipped and stared at her as she guided Doula across to the counter. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're here to spend Christmas with you guys," Liz gave him a beaming smile.

"What?" Luke raised his eyebrows.

"You know the big family dinner, the whole kit and caboodle," Liz helped Doula onto a stool.

"We're going to Richard and Emily's," Luke shook his head as if unable to understand what was happening.

"They can't fit in little old us's," TJ made a pouting face.

"No," Luke shook his head. "Emily's had this planned since October because she has this insane need to have everything planned out in advance. We can't switch up on her."

"Why not?" Liz asked trotting around the counter to grab the coffee.

"Will you…You can't be back here," Luke snatched the pot away from her and pointed round the counter "Emily will kill us. It's not happening."

"Fine well, we'll just chill at Casa Luke and you can bring us left overs, we don't mind. Do we sweets?" TJ plopped besided Doula making the child smile.

Luke stared for the longest moment at his brother-in-law and then across at Liz. "You can't stay with us."

"Aw come on, why not, that Big house," Liz pointed at the cup she wanted. "We…"

"Liz," Luke barked louder than necessary, making nearly everyone who hadn't noticed the arrival of his sister to now look up and watch proceedings. "We have a full house. April comes home today from college. Rory and Spencer and Gigi are up in a few days. There is no space." He flicked his eyes towards TJ as he sensed his brother in law about to say something. "There is no space at the Dragonfly and you can't stay here because Jess and Sel are staying here."

"We can share with them," Liz waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine."

"No it's not," Luke slammed the coffee mug down and despite himself poured her a cup. "There is one bed up there and that is for them. Everything is planned, this big stupid crazy Christmas thing that they all like doing is planned and you can't just show up unannounced and expect to be…"

"But we're family," TJ bleated.

Luke scoffed. "You can't just pitch up when you feel like it and expect us to just drop everything," he finished coolly.

"We can't spend Christmas in the van," Liz whined gesturing towards a beaten-up RV that was parked across the street from the diner, "we did that last year and it sucked!"

"Well you should have called us earlier and we could have worked something out," Luke scowled. He scanned his sister's face and he felt his resolve slip. His shoulders dropped and he looked down at Liz and TJ's daughter's face, she looked pale and mildly scared. "Look, Jess and Selena are going to Sniffy's for Christmas dinner, Maisy and Buddy Lynns place." he added seeing Liz's blank face, when she still didn't show any recollection he scowled again. "Mom's friend Maisy. Jess is going there. I'll see if you can go there. We're doing some other stuff at the weekend and you can come to that."

"Fine," Liz conceded. "Can we at least park the RV at yours?"

"Would be nice to use a proper bathroom for a week or so," TJ added.

Luke held his breath, the house was already going to be packed, to then add three extra people using the bathroom over the week was going to be a logistical nightmare. But it wasn't like he could say no, they were family after all.

"Luke?"

He snapped his head to look at Patty who had appeared alongside Doula holding out his empty plate. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear, I have a spare room you are welcome to…"

"And that was what I was asking for, a little hospitality," TJ shot Luke a sideways look as he moved to put his arm around Patty. "Thank you."

Patty gave him a knowing look and quickly reeled off her address pointing in its general direction. "Why don't you park your van outside. I'll be by as soon as I have finished up here."

When Liz and TJ had filed out Luke turned to look at her, along with seemingly the rest of the diner patrons. "You didn't have to do that?"

"I know I didn't but you looked as if you were about to have a stroke. It's not as if I can't handle him, I mean," she scoffed and shook her head. "I can handle morons like him I was married to one or two. Liz and the kid will be no bother." She patted his hand. "Don't you worry. And if your friends can't take him, I'm having Lunch with Babette and Morey, I'm sure we can squeeze them in."

"I…"

"Don't worry about it," Patty smiled at him her hand tracing up his forearm so she could squeeze it. "It's all fine."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Luke's," Luke barked down the phone answering it after only two rings.

"Hi, It's Rory."

"Oh Hey," Luke readjusted the handset and smiled. "You guys OK?"

"Oh, we're great. I just wanted to check with you if there is anything we need to bring. Towels and whatnot or food or anything really. I'm just doing my pre-trip plan."

Luke smiled, Rory's voice was bright down the phone, evidently the trip up to Connecticut had peaked her lowish mood. "No, just you guys."

"And the presents," Rory giggled lightly. "Mom would literally disown me if I forgot those."

"She's certainly consider it," Luke looked over his shoulder as the door bell tinkled. He grinned as April stepped into the diner. "Rory, April just got here. Everything is organised from a sensible adult point of view just keep your Mom informed on where you are when you do start out. She worries."

"I know. Say hi to April for me, tell her I'll call her later. See you in a few days."

"See you," Luke ended the call placing he handset back on the wall holder and turned to greet his daughter. "Hey, good drive?"

"Fine once I was on the freeway, busy getting out of the Boston area but I'm here now." April smiled at him as she settled on the stool in front of the register. "I wanted to stop by first before I went home. I didn't stop for lunch so I was hoping I could score something to tide me over."

"Sure," Luke instinctively reached for a menu. He hesitated for a moment and brought his hand back on top of the counter. "You want a sandwich or something hot?"

"Can I have a grilled cheese with ham?" April asked her shoulders lifting towards her ear hopefully.

"Sure," Luke quickly scribbled the order and turned to stick it through the window. "Order. You want coffee?"

"Just water, I'm still a little buzzed from the mondo pot I brewed before I left this morning," April reached to take a glass. "So Auntie Liz is here?"

Luke paused and looked at her, if always amazed him how everyone always seemed to know everything even if they weren't actually in Stars Hollow, though he knew the reason why. "Lorelai?"

"Of course." April shook her head in amusement. "She just turned up."

"Yahuh," Luke mumbled, pouring the water out for her and pushing it towards her. "They're staying at Patty's, going to Sniffy's."

"What about Jess?" April asked nervously. She cupped her glass with her hands and looked at him thoughtfully.

"He knows. He went monosyllabic but he's still coming," Luke absently wiped the counter. His phone call with Jess had been less then stellar. The young man had barely made even noises but had reluctantly said they would still come up, though possibly because of Selena and Hinton more than anything else. "You sorted out what you are doing with your Mom?"

"No. Their definitely still coming?"

Luke frowned and the quick response April had given him. "Because she doesn't know her schedule yet?"

"No," April shook her head and looked down at her water. "I'm not seeing her."

Luke blinked at April in surprise, he knew that April had been hesitant to talk about things the past few weeks but he had assumed that she was stressed with her college work. He hadn't pushed and so had just played supportive Dad as best he could over the phone. Now he wished he had pried a little because something was clearly going on and he had missed it. "Why don't you…"

"I'm twenty one years old Dad. I'm an adult." April snapped quickly, her hand tensing around her glass. "I can choose to make this decision. I want to have a good time on my week off from college. I want to spend it with my family," April scowled at him before looking back down at her water.

"Alright," Luke wiped the counter in confusion, "whatever you want," he muttered ineffectually. Unsure what to say he glanced at the cloches on the counter "You want pie?"

"The grilled cheese is enough." April looked up at him sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Sok," Luke dipped his head. "But your OK, right?"

April nodded a fraction too quickly. "I'm OK Dad."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So did she say anything?"

Luke looked over his shoulder at Lorelai who was sat applying her hand cream. He blinked trying to figure out which 'she' she was referring to. Deciding that Lorelai probably meant April he shook his head. "Not really, just that she wants to have a good time."

"Okaaayyy," Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "But she's not seeing Anna at all?"

"I don't think so. I figure she'll tell me or you when she wants." Luke turned and studied Lorelai, her pyjamas were probably about two sized too big for her and a plain dark navy. They could almost be his if he wore button down pyjamas. Normally Lorelai's nightclothes were cutesy if too big or distractingly revealing. "Why are you wearing those?"

"I'm feeling gross and blobby," Lorelai shrugged and then got up crossing to her side of the bed without looking at him.

Luke frowned sensing he was about to step on something that he probably didn't want to. He proceeded cautiously concerned by her response. "Why do you feel gross?"

"Just…" Lorelai shrugged again and began futzing with the pillows. "You want me to talk to April?"

"I figured you would anyway, don't push her though." Luke watched as Lorelai began throwing the throw pillows on the ground. He had never understood why she liked them so much when all she did was get rid of them to sleep. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel not gross?" he asked carefully, crossing over to the bed and turning down his side. He froze as Lorelai shot a freezing look at him. She was hiding something he could tell and it was something which was clearly bothering her quite a lot. "Lorelai?"

"It's nothing really," Lorelai shrugged dismissively before pulling her ponytail out and chucking the band on the bedside table. "Was everything OK with Patty?"

"Yeah, don't change the subject, what is it?" he tried to catch her gaze. But she looked studiously at the sheets on the bed.

"It's nothing," she repeated. Luke remained silent and just stared at her, finally she looked up at him guiltily. "Just woman stuff. I have an appointment with Dr Lewis on Monday."

"Your OB?" Luke's eyebrows rose towards his hairline.

"And my Gynaecologist," Lorelai shook her head. "Don't worry no more babies but that is kind of the point," her hand traced across the fabric that covered her lower stomach and she smiled weakly. "I've been having a few indicators for a little while but I recently started to…" she shifted her weight on her hip and looked away from him.

"Lorelai?" Luke leaned towards her his panic rising. The way she wasn't making eye contact worried him. "What's going on?"

Lorelai exhaled slowly, her breath trembling. "I've been bleeding more then I normally would and I just need to get it checked out. The stuff I've read about Perimenopause said it's a symptom of that so that's all it probably is."

She looked up at him like she was ashamed and Luke leaned back as he took in what she had said. "Perimenopause," he repeated. "What's that?"

"The bit before the proper menopause, it happens for a few years before I become Old Lady Lorelai." Lorelai grimaced. "Sorry Hun."

"What for?" Luke stared at her blankly.

"Old Lady Lorelai," Lorelai gestured to herself. She blushed and looked down pulling her top up and down and then fiddling with her hair. Luke kept his blank gaze, and she pulled a face. "I won't be your young sexy wife anymore."

"I'll accept the young bit," Luke moved towards her slowly. "Physical age bit, maturity wise I'm not sure, I reckon your still young on that front," he shrugged with an easy smile, telling her he was joking. "But, you will always be my wife and you will always be beautiful to me."

"But not sexy," Lorelai raised her eyebrows.

"Beauty beats sexy." Luke slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. He smiled as she looped her arms around his neck and finally held his gaze. "Sexy is how you feel, beauty is how you are."

"That's very philosophical," Lorelai whispered, her fingers lightly tickling the back of his neck. She looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "You promise you'll still love me if I …"

"I promise," He cut her off before she had a chance to finish. How could he not. There was nothing he wanted more then to love Lorelai, except for one thing, for her to be happy. Though that was more an equal to feeling.

"I didn't say what my if was," She raised her eyebrows.

"I just want you to be happy," Luke told her softly. "Whatever that is, whatever I can do to help while you go through this. I am always going to love you." He grinned as she let out a little trill of appreciation. "No more keeping this to you OK?"

"But it's gross girly stuff," Lorelai squirmed out of his grip. "You don't want to know all the details."

"If you don't feel up to sharing them then maybe not but if it helps," Luke nodded. Some of the things he now had to contend with in terms of bodily fluid 'grossness' he only dealt with because it was from people he loved. "But, the stuff you want to share, or that I should know. You know if there is something that you should be eating because that will help you feel better. Or you need a boost because you are feeling blobby and gross," he brushed her arm. "Kay?"

"Kay," Lorelai nodded, she stepped back into his personal space and kissed him lightly on the lips. "You make me happy."

"Good, that is all I want."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke breathed a sigh of relief as he cleared the last plate of the morning rush away. While normally on a Sunday there were brunchers and stay far too long to drink one cup of coffee tables, this morning with all the Christmas holiday fast approaching and the town square fully awash with a saccharine Christmas fayre it was blissfully quiet. "Ceser, shove that in the dishwasher and then you can take a break. Don't reckon we'll get busy till lunchtime so take an hour if you need." He raised his hand as the younger man opened his mouth. "You'll still get paid but I can handle anything that comes in. Just be back for 11.45."

"Thanks Luke," Ceser turned and his pace at clearing up the kitchen increased dramatically.

Luke left him cleaning up and turned to do his own cleaning in the diner. The change in pace was a welcome relief though he found his mind drifting onto the fact that he had yet to see his sister since her arrival the previous morning. Patty had been in and had been fairly positive about his sister and her family staying with her. Liz had been conspicuous in her absence and he was beginning to wonder if he had been too harsh on her. It just frustrated him that she just showed up and expected everything to be her way, but then it could be that it was just TJ winding him up. All Patty had said was that they were going to the fayre in the square and he'd let Lorelai know in the vain hope that maybe Lorelai with her ability to speak to anyone could repair any damage and at the very least the kids could play with Doula.

"Bye Luke," Ceser called as he practically raced out of the diner, not giving him a chance to even respond.

Luke waved in response and resumed sweeping the floor. While he typically weathered Christmas, finding it all too much at the best of times, with its often false-cheeriness and too much food and forced entertaining, this year he was feeling all the more stressed out by it. With Liz's arrival, Lorelai not feeling her best and April harbouring something, he was feeling overwhelmed. His set point was to fix and right now he couldn't because he either didn't understand the problem or didn't know what it was. Not to mention that it would appear that Willow had not forgiven him for stepping on her but he hoped that once her bruise stopped hurting her so much she would return back to her sweet disposition.

The bell over the door rang and he turned to face his new customer. "Emily?"

"Hello Luke," Emily greeted him softly, her dark eyes scanned the empty diner. "I'm not interrupting I see."

"No, the thing in the square," Luke pointed out the window as if she needed directions. "Were we supposed to be doing something?" he asked warily. Wondering if somehow something had been missed off the family calendar by accident.

"No," Emily shook her head and approached the counter. "Richard has a men only function and as he will most likely drink too much I thought it best to drop him off. I have some clothes for the children. I went to drop them off at the house but no one is there."

"They're probably at the thing," Luke pointed again. "You want a coffee?"

"No thank you," Emily shook her head as she took a seat, depositing the bags which no doubt held the clothes for the kids on the counter. "Do you have tea?"

"Sure, I got breakfast, or Green Tea or er…" he reached beneath the counter for his own stash. "A peppermint or Assam."

"The Assam, no milk, slice of lemon," Emily shrugged off her coat, "Thank you." She waited for a moment while he set some water boiling. "They don't have to wear the clothes at Christmas but they are seasonal."

"Huh?" Luke looked at her as he fumbled with scooping the loose-leaf tea into its strainer cage. "Sorry, Pardon?" he corrected as Emily coolly raised her left eyebrow.

"The clothes," Emily prodded the bag. "They don't have to wear them on Christmas day. I just saw them the other day and thought they might like them. There is also a book for Willow to make her feel better."

Luke paused in his fussing and stared at Emily. "She, er, told you…"

"That Daddy kicked her, yes," Emily's lips quirked a fraction into almost a smile. "I couldn't quite understand why she was on the floor."

"They decided to come into our room," Luke shook his head. "I dunno everything is just a little off right now."

"It's the season."

"I guess," Luke nodded. He finished preparing the strainer for when the water was boiled and then looked at Emily unsure of what to do next. He got on well with Emily but it was usually within certain parameters, the house or their house, or a specific function. She was rarely in the diner and never just the two of them. "You want anything to eat?"

Emily's eyes flicked to the cloche covered donuts. "No thank you." She folded her hands and turned her attention to him. "Is April alright?"

"I…I dunno." Luke answered softly. "Something to do with Anna."

"Yes," Emily nodded in agreement. "Something seemed off at Thanksgiving but when she returned to school, whenever we spoke she seemed so into her studies I didn't want to distract her."

"Lorelai's gonna try and get her to open up, if she can. We don't want to push her," Luke muttered quickly, setting the boundaries for Emily without actually giving her an ultimatum.

"Very good," Emily nodded, taking a napkin from the stack beside the diner and wiping the counter in front of him. "If it is shareable please let me know if there is something I can do to help. I don't like to see her upset. And Lorelai?"

Luke blinked, suddenly understanding that owing to the craziness in the square Emily had probably had to park her car a little way down the road and then upon seeing the empty diner made a calculated visit in order to get information which might not otherwise be shared. "She's OK, time of the year, plus work is a little crazy," Luke answered diplomatically, not willing to share anything that Lorelai had disclosed the night before.

"Alright," Emily muttered, her disappointment evident. "The water is boiled." She inclined her head towards the kettle.

"Right," Luke grabbed it and poured the water into the mug and dropped the strainer in. "I should get the lemon. It's in the kitchen."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked down at the pad in front of him. "OK, so that's it for drinks?" He looked up and was answered with a series of nods. Satisfied, he made his way over to the bar at Sniffy's. Lorelai had arranged the impromptu family gathering after Lorelai had met up with Liz at the Christmas Fayre which Maisy and Buddy had thankfully been able to accommodate on short notice. By planning or design he had ended up at one end of the table near Liz while TJ had ended up at the other end surrounded by the younger children who seemed to find TJ's sense of humour hilarious. He smiled warmly at Maisy as she set a tray on the bar and gave her the list. "Thanks for doing this. And for squeezing them in for Christmas."

"It's no bother Lucas. And we are still alright to come to you on the 29th?" Maisy asked peering over her glasses at him. "I thought I'd mention it here so I don't put my foot in it."

"Definitely still ok for the 29th, and I don't know what Liz and TJ's plans are but if they haven't worn out their welcome with Patty and are still around, they will probably be there." Luke told her. "You want a hand?"

"No thank you dear, I'm very capable of pouring drinks," Maisy gave him a mildly displeased look as she began to serve the drinks. "You are going to talk to your sister, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I just…"

"The idiot can be kept at bay," Maisy cut him off. "But just remember he is her idiot, and he's the right kind of idiot, a bit stupid and a pain in the ass but he's harmless," the older woman peered over her thick glasses at him again. "He's an improvement on most of the others and it has lasted a decade. Your sister has never lasted a decade at anything. That means something."

"Yeah, I know," Luke glanced over his shoulder. Liz was watching him, her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to read lips in the gloom. Luke turned back to Maisy. "They just surprised me by pitching up and just…"

"She has never done anything the way it's supposed to be done," Maisy cut him off again, "and she knows you are annoyed with her," Maisy collected another tray from beneath the counter and moved some of the drinks around before she resumed the preparation of the remaining on the list. "Buddy's making sharing dishes, we figured that would be easier," Maisy set two large jugs of water on the trays and then looked at Luke. "I'm calling her over, now play nice." Before Luke had a chance to respond Maisy had rather shrilly called Liz's name, waved her over and quick as a flash disappeared into the kitchen. Luke stared at the trays in front of him.

"You need a hand big brother?" Liz asked, her voice dimmed slightly with uncertainty.

"Yeah," Luke nodded at the slightly emptier tray. "You OK with that?"

"Sure, I can haul," Liz flexed her muscles and gave him a soft smile. "I'm sorry we wrecked your plans."

"You didn't wreck any plans, it's just our plans can't be that flexible. Family the size of..." he paused for a moment, he had been about to say mine, with any other person it would have been fine, but to say it to his sister felt wrong, "ours. It takes a lot of planning, and some things we can't change."

"I don't think we'd scrub up as well enough for Lorelai's parents anyway." Liz's mouth twisted into a self-deprecating smile. "Sides, I get to have dinner with Jess…Don't worry, I'll go easy and I'll put him and TJ out of each other's eye line. Will be nice to spend some time with my grandson."

"Hinton's a great kid, very cute, funny too," Luke fiddled with the tray. "Be good for us to spend some time together, as a family."

"Just as long as we plan it," Liz lifted her tray. "I understand Big Brother."


	9. Acceptance and Love

**AN - THank you so much guys, I really appreciate all your comments. And now onwards it's a double whammy of Liz reveal and April reveal. The April reveal it's kind of part 1 or a three parter (I hope you like it, fingers crossed). Continuing my trend of doing the wrong holiday, so here is the Christmas 2014 chapter at the end of April. Anyhoo. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are so welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 – Acceptance and Love**

Lorelai stepped quietly into the kitchen at the diner, she placed her purse on the edge of the counter and silently watched Luke as he worked. There was something in how he moved that she just liked. She had never been able to put her finger on what it was. There wasn't anything particularly showy about what he did. No dramatically flipping pancakes, it was all spatula work but there was something, an energy or intensity. He was just so focused and in to what he was cooking, he was enthused by it, even though he must have made an order like this a million times.

"You are not supposed to be in here," Luke muttered without looking around.

"I just wanted to say Hi," Lorelai told him quietly, taking a step back out of the diner kitchen and resting her hip against the doorframe. "You're busy."

"Lunch rush," Luke murmured finishing plating the cheeseburger he was creating and then walking it out the pass. "Malc! You OK? You want to talk about it, or do you want to save it for later?" He lightly rubbed her elbow and then turned back into the kitchen.

"You're busy," Lorelai repeated and resumed her position in the doorframe watching him. She smiled softly at him as he looked at her with a mixture of concern and bemusement. "I'm OK."

"Sure?"

"Everything is normal," Lorelai told him quietly. "I just wanna watch, is that OK?"

"OK," Luke nodded giving her one last look of bemused concern and turning back to the grill.

Lorelai rested her head against the doorframe and watched him as he worked, it was soothing. Just what she needed after a not so soothing doctors visit. She was not sick, which was a huge relief. The danger of internet research had had her wondering about if she had had all manner of diseases. Web MD had practically said she was dying. The option of so many possibilities had caused her to almost freeze that part of her brain, there was too much to be dramatic over and all of the possibilities had just been so terrifying. But fortunately it was just that she was hitting that stage in life. Fortunately in the sense of a double edge blade where neither option was great so it was the best of a bad bunch. The fact that she might have as much of 8 years of this, '4 to 8 years is average but you started later then some so probably nearer the four years' the doctor had almost gleefully told her was in one way of a relief. She wasn't old yet. She was just on the outskirts of young. The very edge of suburbia. That particular boundary had not yet been breached. There was a line in the sand as she was still in the warm tropical tundra region. Being told that there was still the slightest possibility of getting pregnant was a moment that had floored her. Now there was a definite deadline as opposed to an amorphous metaphorical ticking clock but she didn't want any more children; they hadn't even planned Grace. It was a pressure that she didn't need nor did she want. It was as if all of a sudden she was careering towards becoming old and she was so not ready for that. She wasn't even sure what it meant becoming old. Sure, she had noticed that things weren't where they used to be and some of her 'expression' lines were a bit deeper then she would like, but she didn't feel old, she didn't feel ready to be old. Her parents were old, she was still young. She was still vibrant and full of life. Supposedly at least. "If I start turning into my Mom promise me you will sledgehammer me with something, alright?"

Luke turned back to look at her in complete confusion. "You are nothing like Emily."

"I know, but if you find me saying anything that could be her. Seriously. I mean it. Put me out of my misery. A quick blow to the head like in that gross zombie show April tried to make us watch. I mean it. Slam. Over. Done. Gone"

"Ok," Luke blinked his confusion at her before jumping as hot fat hit his hand from the sizzling burger on the grill. Rubbing his hand he looked her up and down. "I'll let you know."

"Seriously blunt force trauma is allowed," Lorelai gave him a pointed look. "Can I have a burger?"

"Sure, I'll put one on for you," Luke reached into the fridge to grab another patty to set on the grill. "Cheese?"

"mmhmm," Lorelai nodded and peered at his carefully sectioned prep. "You got bacon?"

"Mmhhmm," Luke nodded at the grill. "I'll do you one with everything." Lorelai opened her mouth to repeat an order she had given a thousand times but he got there first. "No tomato, bun lightly toasted, sauce on the side." He looked back at her and grinned. "Like I haven't done this for you before."

"Well in case you forget because I start resembling an old crone," Lorelai shifted uneasily, hoping she sounded self-deprecating, when really, she felt she sounded as anxious as she felt about it all.

Luke peered at her and his smile slowly dimmed to one which shone with love and care. She knew he knew how she was feeling and he didn't need to try and pep her up. He shrugged softly. "Well, the kids want a pet, maybe a cat would work."

"A crone's familiar," Lorelai nodded, smiling at his attempt to try and play along. "Perhaps wise and no walks." She looked over her shoulder at the busy diner and then back at him. "Can I come in and kiss?"

"Quick one," Luke stepped back towards her.

She closed the gap and she tenderly kissed him on the lips, his hand trailing up around her back. Brief and filled with warmth. Exactly what the doctor order.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke stared uneasily at Jess, it was as if he was back with the surly seventeen year old Jess not the quiet but confident thirty year old that he had become. Jess was sullen and moody and the youngest of the children seemed to have picked up on it. Hinton seemed positively confused by this new unfamiliar Daddy, the little boy's normally megawatt smile dimmed slightly, not even the excitement of Christmas Eve able to combat the confusion. Grace was in full on mother mode, worried about Hinton, showering him with hugs and then running to Lorelai or himself to get hugs as if she thought they as her parents could act as a battery. Sam had retreated into his dinosaur book and the twins had just disappeared, spiriting Doula away, which kind of scared him as it was all a little too quiet for something good to be happening. With April still in a quiet uncommunicative mood and the Baltimore contingent not yet arrived as they were stuck in the holiday traffic, the Christmas Eve Family dinner was proving to be something of a bust.

He had to give credit to his sister and Lorelai, both of them were trying and Selena was doing her best to encourage Jess' participation and even TJ had seemed to understand to just keep quiet. There was too much that had happened between Jess and Liz or more to the point not happened, things that Jess had not ever processed and his nephew was clearly struggling.

Out of the corner of his eyes he caught movement. "Don't come in the kitchen Grace. Hot pans are dangerous." He smiled as Grace stepped into view her arms folded across her chest.

"I know Daddy. I just want a cuddle."

"I'll give you one later when I'm finished with all the pans." Luke assured her, turning the pan slightly in case she came towards him anyway. She didn't, instead she stomped her foot, which lacked any real impact of menace and instead just increased her cuteness quotient as she was dressed from head to toe in sparkly pink and was wearing fairy wings and a princess tiara.

Grace let out a frustrated screech and stomped round the kitchen island. "Everyone stop being grumpy heads. It's Christmas. Santa is coming, we sposed to be happy." She sent the most chilling glare she could muster around the kitchen before marching over to Hinton and taking his hand. "Come Hinny, we go be happy. We look at the twinkle lights." she pointed towards the Christmas Tree in the living room and dragged the child out of the kitchen.

After a moment, Lorelai broke the silence by snorting her amusement, quickly followed by the other adults sat at the table until finally Jess cracked a soft smile.

"Well, I guess we better stop being grumpy heads," he murmured, his shoulders tensing slightly. "Liz could we go and um…" he pointed towards the front door.

Without a word, but with a large but apprehensive smile, Liz rose from the table and crossed to get her coat and together mother and son slipped out of the house.

"Well that's about time." TJ sat back in his chair. "Time he gave her a fair crack."

"TJ," Selena's voice was cool. "Liz might be a good Mom now, but with Jess it was different." The young woman stared at TJ, causing him to squirm in his seat. "There is a lot of stuff that neither of them talk about. This…" she trail of thought stumbled and glanced towards Luke for support. "It's a big deal for Jess to spend Christmas with his Mom."

"Yeah," Luke nodded as he continued to prepare the dish, his eyes fell on April as she uncomfortably shifted in her seat. Slowly he raised his head and watched as Lorelai comfortingly rested her hand on April's shoulder and his daughter's eyes slid sideways to look at Lorelai.

"I'm going to go check on Hin," Selena rose from the table.

"How about me and you go check all the rooms have everything." Lorelai teased April out of her seat.

As the girls filed out Luke looked across at TJ, his brother in law was leaning back on his chair trying to see if he could see Jess and Liz. "TJ!"

TJ dropped the chair legs guilty. "I just wanna see. Is that so wrong? I want to make sure he isn't…"

"TJ come on," Luke flicked his eyes towards the ceiling. "Leave them alone. Now if you want to do something, either come help or go see why the twins and Doula are so quiet."

TJ raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, that's not so good. OK. I'll go check on them."

"Good," Luke turned back to the stove with a calming breath, hoping that Lorelai would have some success with April and Jess and Liz would come to some kind of understanding.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai held the door of April's bedroom open for the young woman and then closed it behind her. All the bedrooms were of course spotless and ready for Christmas, she had made certain about it, so of course, there was nothing needed to be checked. But, the way April had shifted had made her think that this was the time to try and find out what was going on with her. Since April had come home a few days ago she had been a dim version of herself, only really engaging with the kids and avoiding conversation with Luke, not to mention avoiding phone calls. "Ok Apricot." She wrapped her arms around April's shoulders and led the young woman over to April's bed. "Tell me what's up."

"I don…"

"No, come on." Lorelai rubbed April's arm. "No hiding, you look one step away from crying and with your Dad on high alert with Jess and Liz and Mom tomorrow, I want us to have this chat properly. So, come on." she lowered her head forcing April to make eye contact with her. "Something has happened with your Mom?"

"Kind of," April fiddled with her sleeve.

"This was at Thanksgiving?" Lorelai held April's gaze. "So it's been stewing in there for a month, and I want you to unstew so you can have fun and relax. You work so hard and it's going to be so full on with your brother and sisters. I just want you to be able to enjoy some time before you have to go back to college to stress."

"It's not like I can fix it by telling you." April shrugged and pulled her grey long sleeves over her balled fists.

"No, but it will make you feel better." Lorelai loosened her grip and sat back sensing April needed some space. "So, rather than sit on the rocking horse tell me."

April shot her a confused look and then sighed heavily, her exhalation pregnant with anguish and apprehension. "You know Mom has a new boyfriend. It's about him."

Lorelai straightened in concern. "He's tried something."

"More like said something." April's hands clenched beneath their sleeve wrapping. "Normal general homophobic junk but…I called him out on what he said and then he called me a snowflake and said I should be 'normal' because all 'my kind' just want is attention."

"Oh April," Lorelai smoothed April's hair. "You know what he said…"

"I know what he said is bullshit," April scrunched her face up as if trying to control her anger. "I know he is just a homophobic asshat, but it's the fact that she is with him. How can she be with someone who fundamentally hates me because of who I am? If she felt the need to tell him about my orientation and he had that opinion why the hell is she still with him? I'm not even sure why she told him, but she did and he had that opinion. So why is she still with him? I'm her daughter shouldn't I come first, it's not like he's a long-term boyfriend. They've only been going out a few months. So why? I just don't get it." April sagged her anger seemingly leaving her. "I just don't get it." She repeated her voice sounded small and weak. "I mean, I know she found Andy boring, but he was nice, a bit lame but ultimately he was a nice guy who took care of her. This guy Jez is just…" she rolled her wrists for lack of a suitable adjective and slowly look towards Lorelai. "She just told me I was being sensitive and that I misunderstood what he said."

"You have every right to be sensitive. What he said is…" Lorelai paused for once unable to come up with anything to say. "I'm so mad about what he's said and I'm getting the impression that you haven't told me all of it." Lorelai reached across to April and rested her hand on April's wrist. "Oh Apricot. I'm so sorry you should never have to go through this, have to face these things."

"It's part of it, I guess." April shrugged. "I know it shouldn't be but it is," she slowly rotated to look at Lorelai. "That he thinks and says these things is…well not fine…it's not fine but I know there are people who think like that. But, I just don't understand how she can be with someone who thinks that about me. So that's why I don't want to see her."

"Oh Apricot," Lorelai squeezed April's wrist, "but she's still calling you?"

"Yeah. It's like she doesn't get it."

"Well they say love is blind. At the very least she's got her rose-tinted spectacles on." Lorelai removed her hand from April's wrist allowing the young woman to hug her. After a moment April broke apart and shifted back onto the bed, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her back against the wall. Lorelai frowned at her posture, wanting April to feel better, not retreat into herself. "Perhaps seeing her just on her own avoid seeing him and explain why." She reached out and placed her hand on April's sock covered foot. "How bout that?"

April shook her head. "She won't do that. I don't know. It's like he's got some control of her, like his gas lighting her or something but she can't see it."

"I'm not down with the kids Apricot, what is gas lighting?" Lorelai asked carefully.

"It's when, someone makes you do things or diminishes what you do like you can never please them and it's all your fault. I think. We touched on it in a psyche class I took." April inched closer to Lorelai "I don't know what it is about him, beyond the homophobia, there is just something I don't trust and she can't see it, and…I dunno, I just don't want to be with someone who doesn't…" she trailed off struggling to articulate what she meant, slowly she uncurled herself and shifted even closer to Lorelai and then reached out and took Lorelai's hands into her own squeezing them tight. "I want to be with people who love and accept me."

"Lots of loving and accepting here," Lorelai sat back slightly and quirked her eyebrows. "Hmm did that sound…"

"Dirty. Yeah, a bit." April smirked. "But you understand what I mean?"

"I understand," Lorelai nodded. "You want me to tell your Dad? He's worried."

"After Christmas. He's got Jess and Liz and all that whateverness. It can wait a few more days," April smiled weakly.

Lorelai waited as she watched April, the young woman's eyes were flicking up and down her own face, performing their own study. The warm brown iris' were tinged with sadness and love, and longing. She squeezed April's hands back, feeling the intensity in April's grip, knowing that there was something that April needed to articulate and was struggling to.

Finally, April opened her mouth. "I wish that we were a proper family. That you were really my Mom. I think in my head I've made you that. I think my Mom knows and that is why because…because…because," the young woman dissolved into tears and she threw herself forward wrapping her arms around Lorelai's neck.

"Oh Apricot," Lorelai held her gently. "You'll always be my daughter." She kissed April's temple. "I love you from the tip of your toes to the top of your head."

April giggled wetly. "You say that to the little ones."

"I used to say it to Rory when she was little too." Lorelai leaned backwards keeping her hands on April's shoulders. "I always want my kids to know that I love them completely." She warmly rubbed April's upper arms. "You know right?" she smiled as April nodded. "Good."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory slid into the small space beside her Mom on her grandparents couch and snuggled into Lorelai's side. Their Christmas day was already winding down. Having had a ridiculously early start, as her very excitable younger siblings had woken her up at 5.30 by jumping on her legs, she was feeling exhausted, especially as Emily had produced a meal which had 8 courses and her stomach was now straining against her dress and stealing all her blood in order to help digest. Somehow her younger siblings still had mountains of energy. Fuelled by their excitement they were still awe filled as they worked their way through the mountain of gifts that her grandparents had brought them. The wrappings had long since been discarded but the boxes were being opened, batteries applied and the children excitedly sampling the new delights they had received. Presently, Luke and Spencer sat on the floor with the three younger girls trying to build a playset for Grace, hampered somewhat by the little animatronic dogs that the twins had received; Emily's consolatory gift to them in lieu of them actually getting a real-life dog. Sam and Richard were hunched over 'digging up' dinosaur skeletons and Emily had gone off to instruct the maids on clean up while Gigi and April were setting up Gigi's new laptop. A very extravagant gift that Richard and Emily hadn't even batted an eyelid at. When she and Spencer had graciously thanked them but queried the amount spent, they were informed that everyone had had the same amount spent on them. Gigi's gift was just the total amount spent on one item. When Rory had looked at her own gifts, some perfume, books and a pen set, she supposed that they would be of the same value of a basic notebook computer. Rory raised her eyebrows as Lorelai lazily reached over to side table and plucked a cookie from the glass dish. "How are you hungry?"

Lorelai shrugged and grinned. "I hit my second wind."

"Save it," Rory pointed to the kids. "They aren't tiring anytime soon."

"They are going to crash in about 2 hours," Lorelai glanced at the clock on the mantle. "Mommy knows. Twins slightly longer, Sam and Grace slightly less. Time is up when Grace picks a lap to curl up onto to fall asleep. She can get very cat like, much like you were, a little snuggle puss."

"I'm nothing like a cat," Rory poked Lorelai in mild amusement.

"No, you are not. You never landed on your feet when I dropped you." Lorelai teased gently. "Think Mom has any apple tarts left?"

"Oh my god Mom!" Rory shook her head. "You've already eaten like ten."

"It's Christmas, it's allowed." Lorelai pouted.

"We've pretty much eaten the twelve days of Christmas. I'm totally going to go up a dress size from this one meal alone. You have eaten more." Rory poked Lorelai again.

"Are you fat shaming me?"

Rory turned to study her Mom's face, the pout had turned into a frown and there was a slight edge to Lorelai's voice that said a nerve had been at least nudged and she was not being playful. "No, you look great Mom. Just how can you seriously eat anymore? It's a definite occasion of a vomitorium is needed. I feel like Mr Creosote; one wafer thin mint and I'm done."

Lorelai shrugged dismissively. "I only get them at Christmas."

"You know I'm sure if we asked nicely, we can get Grandma to tell you were she gets them from." Rory suggested.

Lorelai raised her eyebrows and looked at her. "Hmmm, an expensive bakery treat."

"Your mother doesn't buy the apple tarts Lorelai," Richard chimed in from his position opposite them, not looking up from the little mock palaeontology site that he was working on with Sam. "She makes them."

"Mom makes the apple tarts!" Lorelai gasped in surprise.

"Grandma bakes?" Rory looked at her Grandfather incredulously.

Richard looked up and scanned the room checking for any sign Emily. "Well, she buys the pastry nowadays, she used to make it, but the shop bought is better," he cleared his throat nervously and scanned the room again. "But yes, she makes the apple filling and at least constructs and bakes the tarts. It's the one thing she's able to actually make."

"I had no idea. Who knew she had such hidden talents?" Lorelai stared towards the kitchen. "Seriously, she makes them?"

"Yes," Richard nodded. "Her grandmother taught her I believe. Perhaps that is why you enjoy them so much over all the other food you consume here."

"How so?" Lorelai frowned and then glanced at Rory for help.

"They're made with love," Rory guessed. She sank into her Mom's side a little more and smiled at the notion of her grandmother every year baking the one thing that her Mom went completely gaga over. She struggled to stifle a laugh at the image which popped into her head of Emily covered in flour. "We'll have to get the recipe from her if it's a family recipe continue the tradition."

"Who's continuing?" Lorelai protested. "I can't cook, rip and dump, that's my speciality. I can just about make scrambled eggs. Luke could do it but he's not really up for traditions, they tire him out."

"I can cook a bit. If I don't have to make the pastry then I'm sure I can manage an apple filling and follow the instruction to put it together. I mean if Grandma can do it. I should be able." Rory reasoned and studied her Mom's face. "We should ask her Mom?"

"Maybe," Lorelai grabbed another cookie and chewed it thoughtfully. "How about you Dad? Any secret recipes locked away in there."

"My Johnny Machete," Richard offered tipping his head in thought, "and I welsh rarebit mixture, posh cheese on toast."

"I'll take that one Grandpa," Rory smiled at him. She rolled her eyes as Lorelai reached for a third cookie. "Mom seriously!"

"Ok," Lorelai handed the half-eaten cookie to her and cuddled Rory's arm. "Save me Babe, my willpower is shot!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke set the truck into park in front of the house and stared out of the windscreen at his sister sat on the porch. Dread filled his chest. He had been feeling uneasy all day over Jess and Liz spending Christmas together but Lorelai, the designated point of contact, hadn't received any calls to detail any drama so he had done his best to push it to the back of his mind.

"I can empty the truck Dad, Rory can help me," April spoke quietly beside him. "Maybe go into Lorelai's sewing room?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded and glanced at his daughter before looking over his shoulder at the small mountain of gifts that the children had received from their grandparents. He turned his attention towards the minivan the twins excitedly jumping out and rushing across to Liz. His eyes fell on Lorelai even in the dark of the night he could see her concerned gaze flicking between him and Liz while she helped Sam down. "Help Lorelai with the kids first,"

"Sure," April slid out of the truck.

Taking a steeling breath Luke climbed out and slowly walked over towards his sister. April had managed to usher the twins towards the door giving the space needed to peel Liz away before any scene could begin.

"Big Brother!" Liz called exuberantly. "Sounds like you had just as good a time as we did!"

Luke gave a small nod, taking her tone as good and assuming that she was referring to something the twins had just told her as he had found the whole day at the Gilmores testing with the over feeding and extravagant numerous gifts. "Why don't we go over here. The kids need to start winding down."

"Oh it's Christmas, they can stay u…" Liz began grinning up at the twins who April was struggling to get through the front door.

"It's Christmas so they've had a real busy day and if they don't go to bed they won't be able to enjoy themselves tomorrow," Luke cut her off. "Wills, Kits, help Mommy with Grace and Sam. I'll come kiss you goodnight in a bit." He smiled at the twins who finally moved into the house. "Liz we'll go in here," he pointed towards the outbuilding and started to walk towards it.

"A shed?" Liz chuckled trotting after him. "Why are we talking in a shed?" she let out a low whistle as she entered. "Is this Lorelai's? Did you make this for her? This is awesome!" Liz moved over to the table where Lorelai had something pinned out ready for sewing. "Did she make this? You think she could make some things for Doula?"

"I can ask her," Luke rested his hip against the cutting table and folded his arm. "So today was OK?"

"Today was fantastic!" Liz gave a little squeal. "I mean have you seen how sweet and cute and adorable my grandson is? Just the cutest. My grandson isn't that wild!"

"He's 3 Liz," Luke muttered quietly.

"I know that, but I've never got to spend time with him. But Jess was chilled enough to let him sit on my knee for like a whole hour. He's the cutest little thing." Liz gave a soft excited sigh and bounced over to him. For a moment she reminded him of the twins, the way their steps became little jumps and it offered a rare insight as to how his family genetics had influenced his children. Liz came to a stop just short of hugging distance but too close for comfort and he resisted the urge to take a step back to regain his personal space. "I got to spend Christmas with my boy," Liz told him with quiet excitement as if he hadn't known. "We actually got to talk, isn't that amazing. No grunts or eyerolls which I totally know he does when we talk on the phone. Thank you Big Brother for fixing it." Liz shoved her arms forward and forced him to accept her hug. "I know we messed up your plans by just pitching up and I promise that next time we will call earlier and let you know."

"Ok," Luke nodded quietly. "So Jess had a good time?"

"Yeah, he had a great time," Liz took a step back and looked momentarily uncertain. "I mean as much as you can tell with him. He smiled though and I think that, with him, is a good sign. Plus he actually talked to TJ."

"Jess talked to TJ?"

"For a whole fifteen minutes! They were talking about TJ's new job."

"What's he doing this time" Luke took a deep breath waiting to hear the latest of his brother in law's hairbrained schemes that as with all the others that had gone before would only last a few weeks.

"He got a job as a custodian at an old folks' home," Liz told him. "It's right across the street from the school we've put Doula in."

Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at his sister. The entire time Liz and TJ had been married they had moved around, ostensibly because of Liz's jewellery and her contract with the renaissance fayres. TJ would take temporary jobs or have some stupid get rich quick thing going on. They had never been in one place for more than a few weeks. "You're staying put?"

"Yeah, it's what Dou wanted for her Christmas present, to go to school so she could make friends. So TJ found a job."

"Where?"

"Near Pittsburgh, it's kind of central for the roads. Most of our fayres are on the East Coast but we do Kentucky and Michigan, so I'll still be able to get to those. And I'm gonna do a website to sell my stuff and I can get odd jobs. I make a mean coffee." Liz smiled and then looked up at him hopefully. "We haven't found a proper place yet but the old folks' home said we can park the RV in their parking lot for a little while till we get sorted. So it all starts in January and we're very excited."

"That's great Liz," Luke smiled at her, pleased that Liz finally seemed to be settling down. "You told Jess this?"

"Yeah, and he said maybe we could visit Hinton more often. How cool is that spending time with my grandson?" Liz fiddled with the edge of the table. "I'm excited."

"Good," Luke rested his palms against the table and studied his younger sister. "We've got some furniture that we don't use if you want it for your place when you get sorted."

"That would be perfect," Liz sent him a beaming smile. "Anyway I wanted to come say Thank you for arranging one of the best Christmases I have ever had."

"Your welcome." Luke nodded. "Glad you had a good time."

"The best time!" Liz took a step towards the door prompting him to move away from the table. "I'm gonna get out of your hair. I know you guys have the whole crazy bedtime thing and we'll see you tomorrow for some more fun."

"OK," Luke let his sister hug him again and then quietly turned out the light. He watched her move over to an unfamiliar car, which he assumed was Patty's and waved her off as she drove away. The crunchy feeling in his chest had diminished and he walked up to the house with his steps feeling lighter than it had all day. He knew he would still have to check in with Jess but it all seemed surprisingly positive. He closed the front door behind him and looked at the pile of presents that had been dumped in the living room.

"I'll sort it tomorrow."

He turned to look at Lorelai as she came out of the kitchen holding a cup of coffee. "You won't sleep if you drink that now."

"Nonsense," Lorelai took a healthy gulp from the mug. "So?"

"So it all seems OK. I'll check with Jess tomorrow but yeah," he smiled. "TJ got a job and they are putting Doula in a school. Apparently Jess said they could visit him."

"Wow," Lorelai took a step closer. "That sounds good."

"Yeah," Luke nodded earnestly. "So one crisis averted, you going to tell me about the other?" He raised his eyebrow.

"It's not a crisis more a sitch," Lorelai looked up the stairs. The faint sound of the children was wafting down, a house filled with happiness yet her brow creased. "She's OK, and she doesn't want to ruin anything so I promised I wouldn't say anything until after the whole Christmas craziness. She is OK."

"Promise?" Luke looked at her nervously, his eyes trained on a faint line of Lorelai's brow that always told him she was worried.

"Promise," Lorelai turned to look at him and nodded. "I'm just gonna add her to tucking in list while she's here, she knows, but she needs reassurance."

"Ok," Luke nodded slowly and looked up the stairs. He smiled as Lorelai stepped into his space and wrapped her free arm around his waist. He leaned his head down and kissed her crown.

"Love you too Hun," Lorelai snuggled into him. "Merry Christmas!"


	10. Them's the breaks Part 1

**AN - Thanks guys, I wanted to do Christmas because it is a family moment but they can't all be sweet and as with everything it's those on the outside who can upend the applecart with our family. Though glad you liked the bit about the tarts :). Anwyas as for April and Anna read on ;) AS every all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are appreciated and always welcome, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 – Them's the breaks Part 1**

Lorelai ran her hands across the sheets. Slowly she peeled open her eyes, the bed beside her was empty; just as it had been every morning for three days. Luke had risen early to disappear out of the house in an attempt to deal with his rage. When she and April had sat down and explained why April was not going to see her Mom he had silently taken it in, but Lorelai had known he was fuming. Surrounded by the younger kids he had not been able express his anger and he had turned it inwards on himself. None of them had been able to raise a smile from him and even his ability to produce a monosyllable could be called into question. April had returned back to college with as much fear about Luke's reaction as she had over the fact that she was only months away from graduation. Lorelai was playing peace maker in a world where there was too much peace. She wanted Luke to explode, wanted him to yell because the tip-toeing around was worse. But, he didn't like going off when the younger kids were around, and at the moment they were all around, all the time.

She pushed her way out of the bed and seized her robe. It was cool, the cold outside biting through the windows even though the windows had good energy efficiency ratings. The heat would not come on for a few hours. On the landing she checked for signs of life but all she could hear was the gentle sounds of the kids asleep. Slowly she crossed to the window seat at the front of the house. In the moonlit yard she could see that Luke's truck was gone. Pressing her lips together in a mixture of annoyance and resignation she made her way down through the house and into the kitchen. Luke had laid out all of the necessary requirements, the plates and spoons, the selection of cereal. It all looked perfect except for the fact that he would not be here. She understood his anger, she could not wrap her head around why Anna would be with and defend someone who had spoken to April in that manner or who held those views, but he couldn't just retreat into it, his retreat was just as damaging as the hateful words.

She moved towards the living room and picked up the house phone. Her fingers skipped across the keys as she dialled the familiar number. Pressing the handset against her ear she settled into the couch and waited. The phone rang six times, then seven. When it reached ten she gave a hiss of annoyance and closed the call. She tried again, this time dialling his cell phone number. It seemed like a fruitless exercise. Luke barely remembered to charge his cell phone and only really used it to keep in contact with April and for emergencies. At times it was endearingly old fashioned. Today when he wouldn't answer it, she knew she would find it annoying. As expected the voicemail kicked in, she left one even though she was sure he wouldn't pick it up. With an air of frustration she threw the handset onto the seat beside her and reached for the remote. She should go back to bed but she felt crabby. Crabbiness called for something silly on TV, a desperate housewives of somewhere where horrible people did horrible things to each other. Or a refurbish your house thing. Scrolling through the dregs of infomercials that plagued early morning TV she fell across a show about Tiny Houses and settled back into the couch to watch as the designers tried to design a tiny house around a full sized kayak. Ten minutes in, she heard the soft padding of feet on the stairs and looked over her shoulder. "Hey Little Man."

Sam peered round the door frame at her. "Hi Mommy"

"Was the tv too loud?"

"No," Sam shook his head. "Daddy woked me when he drived away." Sam took two steps into the living room.

Lorelai studied her son, his shoulders were tense and his hands were clenched. In his fossil pyjamas he looked unbearably cute. She inclined her head and he scampered around the sofa. Sam was a much more careful child then his older sisters and he paused to choose how best to sit, instead of just jumping onto the couch. When he sat down Lorelai cuddled him into her side. "Did you try to sleep?"

"Yes," Sam nodded, curling his form around her and pulling her into the tightest of hugs. "But I couldn't. So I laid there trying until I heared the TV." After a short pause he added. "Daddy is sad and mad."

"Yeah," Lorelai rubbed his shoulder, "but he's not mad with any of you."

"Someone said something mean about April," Sam muttered sagely. He gave a soft, little, barely there sigh. "Why would anyone be mean about April? She's really nice and really smart," he gave a soft shake of his head. "She's my favourite sister," he tensed slightly as if surprised at saying it. Slowly, he timidly turned his head to look at Lorelai.

"Your secret is safe with me," Lorelai winked at him. "Because she talks about dinosaurs?"

"Yes, she lets me talk, she listens." Sam nodded earnestly. "The others get bored." He frowned as if unable to understand how someone wouldn't find dinosaurs endlessly fascinating. "Can you make Daddy happy Mommy?"

"I'm trying beautiful boy," Lorelai rubbed his arm.

"I don't like it when he's sad," Sam muttered quietly before his eyes fell on the TV. "Mommy there is a boat in the house!"

"I know," Lorelai looked towards the tv. "In a house smaller then this room."

"Woah!" Sam whispered in awe.

Before he had a chance to say anything else the phone began to ring and he bounced excitedly grabbing the handset beside him. "Daddy?"

"Probably, Mommy left him a message," Lorelai took the phone from Sam and pressed connect. "Hi."

"Lorelai?"

"Dad?" Lorelai sat up in surprise. She had been so expecting the call to be from Luke she hadn't even entertained the idea that it could be someone else. Her momentary confusion gave way to panic. "Dad it's four in the morning, are you OK?"

"I'm fine Lorelai."

Lorelai glanced at Sam beside her, the little boy staring at the phone with raised eyebrows. In the background at her father's end she could hear noise; the sounds of somewhere busy. "Dad where are you?"

"We're at the emergency room. Your Mother took a fall last night coming out of the Symphony." Richard sounded tired. "She's broken her arm."

"Oh My God!" Lorelai sat forward. She looked at Sam who had followed her, leaning forward nervously, his little face twisted in concern. "Is she OK? I mean beyond the broken bone…"

"She's in pain," Richard answered diplomatically after a short pause. "She's being put in a cast."

"Do you need me to do anything?" Lorelai asked sitting back and patting her lap. Sam crawled onto her lap and cuddled into her.

"Could you or Luke come and collect me from the hospital? I left the car in a parking lot as we came in the ambulance and now we have to get home and…" Richard began and then gave a little sigh. "I know we could take a cab but I'm not sure your mother would take another 'indignity'. It's in one of two lots. In all the hubbub I can't remember which and I really don't have the energy to negotiate with a taxi driver who doesn't speak English."

Lorelai paused for a moment. It was four in the morning, too early to call anyone to come and watch the kids. Luke should be here to help her. Her annoyance rose. "He's at a delivery right now Dad. As soon as he gets back one of us will be up. We'll be as quick as we can. I promise."

"Thank you Lorelai. It's St Francis ER."

"Ok Dad." Before she had a chance to say goodbye Richard ended the phonecall and Lorelai stared at the handset.

"Granma ok?" Sam asked from her lap.

"She's broken her arm," Lorelai cuddled him. "Little Man, I need you to do something for me." She quickly dialled the number for the diner and handed him the phone. "Keep this ringing. When Daddy picks up. Come get me. I have to get dressed. I will be two minutes." He crawled off her lap, obediently listening to the constant ringing of a call waiting to connect. Lorelai scrambled across to the kitchen and pulled open the laundry room door room. The room was really no more than a large cupboard, and once you had the washer and dryer there was barely enough room to do more than stand in front of them. Despite it's size the room was always packed full with half loads waiting for full loads of a particular colour. She rifled through a pile of blue and found a pair of jeans and then in the red pile a red T-shirt. Dancing into the jeans she heard Sam's feet on the kitchen tile.

"Mommy?"

"Yes Baby boy?" Lorelai poked her head out of the laundry cupboard struggling to pull her jeans over her hips while clutching the t-shirt in front of her. "Is it Daddy?"

"Yup," Sam held out the phone. "He's grumpy."

"Thank you Little Man." Lorelai took the phone and pressed it to her ear. Luke got as far as saying the first syllable of her name before she interrupted him. "My Mom has broken her arm. My parents are in hospital in Hartford. One of us needs to go get my Dad so he can get the car. Either get home now or get to St Francis. Which is it?" There was a pause at the end of the phone and she heard the sigh from Luke that told her he was feeling ashamed at his own anger. "Luke?"

"I'll come home."

* * *

 **xXx**

Despite that she had been told she didn't need to, Lorelai followed her parents back to their house just to be sure. Her Dad looked shell-shocked, while her mother was in an off-with-their-head mood. Both of them were exhausted. They just looked like they needed a little looking after, even if the looking after involved taking the brunt of her mother's pain induced wrath just so that it gave her Dad a chance to regroup. When she parked, Emily was busy waving Richard away, preventing him from helping her. "Dad. Why don't you go on in and get the lights turned on." Lorelai suggested keeping a distance that meant she could step in at any time to offer assistance but that Emily didn't feel crowded.

"Yes, good idea," Richard blustered and stumbled off to the front door.

"I am not a spectator sport," Emily hissed as she caught Lorelai's eye after another failed attempt to get out of the car under her own steam.

Lorelai gave a slight shrug and looked at the ground knowing from experience that Emily needed to be in control, especially as she was feeling so vulnerable. Beside a broken ulna Emily had some bruising on her legs and had a sprained hip flexor caused by her legs effectively doing the splits on the icy ground. It was all fixable and nothing too serious in the grand scheme of things. Nothing required surgery and it would all heal on its own. The young doctor however had taken his life in his hands by stating that Emily's age meant healing may take a while. At least his take down had happened in an ER where he could receive suitable treatment.

Finally, after a few pained grunts Emily cleared her throat. "Lorelai?"

"Sure Mom," Lorelai stepped closer, not making her Mom actually have to ask for help. "Do you want me to pull or just be a lever?"

"Just stand there," Emily took Lorelai's proffered hand and used it to stand up. She wobbled uncertainly for a few seconds. "These shoes are ridiculous."

"They're hospital slippers Mom," Lorelai stepped to one side and allowed Emily to reposition herself. "All hospital clothes are ridiculous. But five minutes and we can have you in your own and you'll feel better."

"I want to take a bath, wash the awful stench of the ER off me. Why they don't keep drunks and addicts away from people who are actually sick or hurt I don't know," Emily shook her head in disgust.

"Ok Mom," Lorelai mumbled, letting Emily have her rant as they slowly made their way across the driveway to the house.

"You'll have to help," Emily muttered as they entered the house.

"Help with what?" Lorelai across at her, waiting for Emily to let go of her. "Getting you upstairs?"

"With the bath," Emily informed her, releasing her grip and attempting to remove her coat.

"I can run it for you," Lorelai guessed the maid hadn't arrived as it was not yet 6am.

"And help me undress and re…"

"Undress?" Lorelai cut Emily off in surprise.

"Well I can hardly undo my clothes on my own," Emily gestured to her arm encased in a sling and plaster.

"But…but," Lorelai blinked rapidly, struggling to think of a suitable response which would mean she would not anger her Mom nor actually have to see her naked.

"I'm not pleased about it either. But if you just undo everything I will be fine. I can't rely on your father for this. The state he's in he will be all fingers and thumbs and probably cause me more damage." Emily scowled and slowly began to hobble towards the stairs. "Lorelai."

"Um…Right." She followed Emily and then paused behind her. "Can I keep my eyes closed? Because, no offense Mom, but I really don't want to see you naked. Ever. In a million years. It's a total poke my eye out moment. Not that I mean you will poke my eye out," she gestured vaguely at Emily's chest. "Like I would need to bleach…"

"I am in no mood for your babbling Lorelai," Emily cut her off. She paused to take a breath. "These stairs are ridiculous."

"Well this is a castle and a castle has a lot of stairs," Lorelai offered Emily her arm. Emily waved her off and began to climb the treads slowly again. "You need any help other than the bath Mom?"

Emily didn't respond for a few moments instead just continuing her trudge up the stairs. Once she reached the top she paused and cast Lorelai a sideways look. "Just prep the maid to look after your father, he's exhausted and stressed, a bad combination and I don't have the energy to be the caregiver."

"What does that mean?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows curiously.

"I manage him," Emily attempted to shrug, the action ending in a wince and a hiss of pain. "I look after him. Arrange everything for him. It's my job," Emily paused for a moment. "I just…

"Would like a few days' vacation," Lorelai spoke quickly. "I think that's allowed. Though if you want a vacation there are less drastic ways then breaking your arm."

* * *

 **xXx**

At lunchtime, she finally managed to make it home. Having helped Emily with her bath and got her into bed she had then had to deal with her fretting father, who despite being an accomplished man had been so out of sorts hadn't even been able to make a cup of tea. When the maid had arrived, she had explained what had happened and warned of her parent's moods. The middle-aged woman had smiled, nodded and had produced a tub of vaporub from her purse. Her father had been sent to bed like a small child and he had obeyed without complaint. At only 12 o'clock she was already exhausted and her cell phone battery, having spent the morning in communication with Rory and April, was hovering in the red, something which struck her as poetic with how she was feeling.

She entered the house and was immediately met with the sound of Babette's cackle. She looked into the kitchen, the four children were sat around the table with quartered sandwiches on plates in front of them and Babette and Morey stood at the kitchen counter wafting baking trays over some misshapen looking cupcakes.

"Mommy," Sam noticed her first.

The kids all turned to look at her, and immediately descended into a shouting match as they fought for attention. Lorelai held up her hand. "Grandma is OK, she has a broken arm," she raised her eyebrows as Willow started to sniff and walked over and hugged her. "It's OK Honey Bunch she's fine. Just not very happy."

"Does she have a cast?" Kitty asked beside them, comfortingly patting Willow's shoulder.

"She does."

"Maybe we can draw on it," Kitty suggested going back to her sandwiches. "Mommy wouldn't be home if she wasn't OK Willow," the child pointed out knowingly. "Mommy we made cupcakes with Auntie Babette and Uncle Morey."

"So I see," Lorelai moved over to the counter to greet her former neighbours. "Hi guys, thanks for doing this."

"No problem at all doll face. So your Mom's OK?" Babette greeted her with a wide smile as she continued to flap the baking tray.

"She's fine, tired, in pain, but she'll be OK." Lorelai frowned as she took in the baking trays, "What are you doing?"

"The cupcakes are too warm so the icing slides off, so were cooling them down so that they can eat them. Luke had to get to work," Babette reeled off, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You want to go see him? We can stay with the kids longer."

Lorelai folded her arms and shifted her weight from one hip to another. "Actually, that would be great." She turned back to the kids. "Beautiful ones, Mommy needs to pop out for a little bit longer, be good for Babette and Morey," she moved to kiss them each in turn. "Make sure you save me one of those yummy cupcakes OK?"

"Ok Mommy," The children reeled off obediently.

She bent down to kiss Sam on the forehead and his arms looped up around her neck. "Make Daddy OK Mommy," Sam whispered in her ear. He lowered himself down but before letting go gave her a wet mayonnaise tinged kiss.

Lorelai straightened up and nodded to him. "See you later," she waved as she scurried out of the kitchen and back out into the cold January day. Striding down the steps, she walked straight past her minivan and marched down the driveway. She was that curious mix of tired and angry, one screaming at her to chill out, the other making her want to scream.

Despite the snow that filled the shortcut to town behind the Dragonfly, she made it into the centre of town in only fifteen minutes. The town was in a state of chaos as the Christmas decorations were being taken down and the winter festival and Founders Day signs were going up. Negotiating the mountain of papier-mâché stars that sat on a tarpaulin to be hung she stomped across the street and into the diner. Ceser was stood at the till making change for a customer and he looked up with an over dramatic flinch. Evidently, her bad mood had made its way to her face. Without even saying anything the rapidly shrinking young man pointed towards the storage area and like a whirlwind she moved through the diner and into the back.

"You called Babette and Morey!" She almost yelled as she marched into the room. Luke gave a start and nearly dropped the box he was carrying. "You couldn't even stay with our kids for a few hours. I am so sick of this mood. My Mom is hurt, you're just hiding, and what's worse they all know it. You woke Sam up and he's worried for you. A four-year-old shouldn't be worried. He should be happy and playing and instead he's up in the middle of the night worrying about his Daddy. This has to stop Luke, you have to snap out of this mood, or you have to do something or just… something because…because I can't deal with Moody Grumpy Luke right now. I get that you are mad. I am mad but either put up or shut up" she gave a curt nod, her eyes glowering at him.

Luke blinked, his head rolling back slightly as he absorbed her tirade. After a moment he set the box down on the table in the middle of the room. "Is Emily OK?"

"Yes," Lorelai folded her arms across her chest and began to bounce her weight on her left hip. She was tired of Luke's behaviour. She wanted him to do something, either snap out of this mood or speak to Anna. That the kids were picking up on it, that the kids knew why he was upset worried her. "She broke her arm and sprained her hip but she's going to be fine."

"Good," Luke matched her stance of folding his arm. "I'm sorry I had to leave the kids with the Dells. I had deliveries that I have to pay for and I'm the only one who can. I was going to go home as soon as Arielle came in to help Ceser."

"Arielle?" Lorelai looked surprised at the sound of her weekend assistant managers' name. "My Arielle? From the Dragonfly?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded softly. "I needed someone else, you said she needed money so I asked her if she wanted shifts." He gave a soft smile. "She's my new Lane."

"She was mine first," Lorelai pouted. "You were going home?"

"As soon as I could, but Joey was late." He nodded at the boxes. "I should really find a new guy."

"Oh," Lorelai bounced her weight again.

"Sam's been up?" Luke asked gently slowly loosening his arms and self-consciously scratching his brow.

"Yes. He wants me to make you happy."

"Jeez. Lorelai you know it's nothing to do with you guys," Luke shook his head.

"I kno…"

"I mean, why would you guys think that? You all love April but just how can Anna be with somebody like that, who thinks that about April. I just don't get it. And you know that what she told us is only the tip of the iceberg. That moron is…"

"Hun," Lorelai held her hands out. "I know, but I am not the one that needs to be told, and we" she gestured as a way to indicate the children, "are not the ones who need to have this taken out of. You either need to let it go or say something to Anna."

"Yeah," Luke slumped back onto the table, his shoulders dipping low in defeat. "I just can't think how to keep my cool with her."

"You don't need to keep your cool with her. You don't have to worry about custody agreements or any of that anymore. April isn't a child, she's an adult who can make her own decisions. All you need to worry about is supporting our daughter and you have every right to call Anna out on this," Lorelai took a step towards him. "He sounds like a jackass."

"The new guy, yeah he does," Luke nodded his head. "So how should I…"

"Friday," Lorelai stated with a definite nod. "I agreed with Mom that we would do Friday Afternoon tea as the twins are still off and she is going to be wiped with her meds. Call Anna and set it up for Friday while we are there and then after you can come get whipped by Mom or cuddled by the kids. You may even tempt Sam away from his Grandpa."

"Yeah," Luke nodded once more. Tiredly he held out his hand to her and when she took it he pulled her into his side. "Sorry."

"It's OK." Lorelai rested her chin on his shoulder. "You do better than I do with telling off"

"I don't tell you off," Luke tenderly rubbed her back.

"No, you do the staring at me tiredly thing, then I pout." Lorelai shrugged and cuddled into him. As his frame began to soften, she let out a shuddering sigh. "My parents are old. I know they are but it struck me this morning just how old they are. How one little thing just throws them out. They are just one step away from being frail."

"They aren't that old. They are just set in their ways," Luke offered conciliatorily but the way he held his breath Lorelai could tell he was only saying it to be positive. "Emily just needs to eat dessert and watch were she steps. Richard just needs to not eat dessert and pay more attention to your Mom."

"Sure, that's all they need to do," Lorelai sighed and kissed his shoulder. "These ticking clocks are getting louder."

"I know."

* * *

 **xXx**

On Friday having been dropped off by Lorelai on her way to her parents' house Luke stood in the building entranceway of Anna's new apartment. It was a modern complex, a much higher step up the rental ladder then where she had been before. He folded his arms, tucking his glove free hands beside his torso, frustrated at being made to wait. Anna had answered him on the intercom but had told him to wait downstairs and now he presumed that he was waiting for her to come down. The air was bitterly cold, too cold to snow, and he could feel the end of his nose beginning to go numb. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Anna appeared out of the glass doors.

"Hi," he greeted her gruffly, not making a move to see what she did. Anna looked more polished then the last time he had seen her, as if her hair had been done in an expensive salon and not with home hair dye and Supercuts. She smiled weakly but didn't say anything instead waving him to walk down the sidewalk towards a Starbucks. "Why do we have to go…"

"Jez doesn't like strangers in his apartment," Anna cut him off and opened the door to the store to go through. She just about held the door open for him and walked towards the counter. "Are you going to get anything?"

Luke glanced at the board and gagged on the air in his throat. He was seriously undercharging for his coffee! "No thanks, how exactly am I a stranger?"

"You are a stranger to him," Anna told him in a clipped tone as they waited to be served.

"I'm not meeting him, I'm meeting you." Luke pointed out but was prevented from saying anything else as it was Anna's turn to order. Instead he made do with trying to keep a straight face and not gag at the order that Anna placed.

"It's his home Luke. I have to respect that," Anna pointed out once she had paid and they moved along the conveyer belt system to the end.

"I guess. What about him respecting our daughter?" Luke shot at her. The young woman who was also waiting for her drink glanced up from her phone in surprise, moments later her eyes crashed back down to her cell phone but Luke could tell they now at least had one interested party in their conversation.

"April really was just being sensitive about what he said. He didn't mean what is said the way she took it. It's all just got out of proportion," Anna reasoned nervously fiddling with her leather purse.

"He told her to be normal, and that people of 'her kind' were attention seeking. And that is just the bit she was willing to tell me and Lorelai about. I think her reaction is fine. She's asexual not Martian. What exactly is 'her kind' beyond being our daughter." Luke folded his arms glancing to the left where the barista seemed to have slowed down in her work but also give a soft nod as if she agreed with him.

"He didn't mean it like that," Anna scoffed looking around nervously. "April took it the wrong way."

"How was she supposed to take it?" Luke challenged, clenching his fists and trying to keep his temper in check. "And why are you defending him over April. That is the bit that she is most upset about. That you would be with someone who thinks like that. It's not like he's been around for a long time. Less than a year Anna. Why are you siding with him over April" he cleared his throat conscious that the coffee shop which had been very loud when they came in seemed to have dropped a few decibels. He glanced to his left, a young man with a far too long beard and a man bun working on a laptop had removed his earbud on one side to listen more clearly. "Anna can we please just go back to your apartment to discuss this. We have an audience," he gestured towards the people who were badly disguising that they were listening.

"I don't want you in my apartment."

At the sound of a clipped London accent Luke turned to find a tall, well-built man in an impeccable suit standing at the counter nonchalantly placing an order. Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise, this man was attractive even he could see that. The type of guy you saw in tv shows or modelling aftershave or high-end brands. He was not what Luke had been expecting at all. Luke wasn't even sure what he was expecting give that April had not provided him with any description at all but he had stereotyped a backwards homophobe. This man did not look like that. Whatever that was. Luke cleared his throat and pulled himself together. He was in the right here, this man, Jez, with his good-looking appearance and healthy bank balance was not going to push him over like he clearly had with Anna. In this moment Luke was the better man. Cordially he held out his hand. "Luke Danes, April's father. I want to have a conversation with Anna in private about what was said and how we can get past it. April is really upset and she doesn't want to speak to Anna because of what was said and I don't think that's right."

"It's ridiculous," Jez gave the barista a charming smile and turned to face Luke. "She's victimising her mother because she is being overly sensitive, demonising our relationship because she isn't getting her way. Just because she engages in abnormal behaviour doesn't mean that I have to accept it."

"What?" Luke blinked in surprise, he glanced first at Anna and then at those spectators who had given up all pretence of not listening and were now actively ogling. "Her what?"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai looked up from the book she was reading with Grace as the doorbell to her parent's house rang. The Friday afternoon tea was going well. The maid had put on a delicious spread of cakes and sandwiches and Richard, at least, was back to his normal self. Emily was still clearly in pain but had turned on her hostess mode, and did genuinely seem to be enjoying the kids fawning over her, though she had drawn the line at letting the children draw on her cast. Lorelai turned her head as she heard Luke's voice followed by the surprised maid and then a third voice that she didn't know.

"Mommy," Sam stood up from his place. "A police neenaw car."

"A what?" Lorelai stood up and stared at the window, there was the strobing lights of a police car filtering through the glass from the driveway. "Kids stay here."

"Lorelai what is going on?" Emily asked peering up at her.

"I don't know. Kids stay with your Grandma," Lorelai pivoted towards the door and trotted towards it. Luke was stood just inside the door with a wad of bloodstained tissue pressed against his nose. "Luke, Oh My God!"

Luke lowered the tissue to reveal his blood stained lower face and his swollen nose. "I'm fine."

"You're bleeding," Lorelai rushed over, grimacing as a dribble of blood began to trickle out of Luke's left nostril. "What happened?"

Luke mumbled something unintelligible and pressed the tissue back to his nose.

Lorelai looked towards the police office for answers. "What happened to my husband?"

"There was an altercation. The man who assaulted…"

"Assaulted?" Lorelai looked back at Luke in horror. "What the…you were just going to talk to Anna, how did…Did her boyfriend hit you?"

"Yeah," Luke gave a shrug that barely disguised his annoyance and disgust. "He was a jackass and was spouting off this stuff about April's being abnormal and I just had to get out of there otherwise I would have hit him. But he was closer to the door so he thought I was going to hit him so he hit me first. Clean right hook." He pulled the tissue away from his face and studied it.

"Your husband does not want to press charges, and has refused medical attention." The police office added.

"Why?" Lorelai looked at Luke imploringly, both in response to the why Luke wasn't pressing charges and why when he was still bleeding and possibly had a broken nose did he not want to see a doctor.

"I'm fine, and I don't want to make it worse for April," Luke muttered thickly from behind the tissue. "Thank you for the lift officer, I apologise for the trouble caused."

"It's OK. We'll be in contact if we do need to file anything." The office gave a bob of his head and turned away.

"Luke, this man hit you why wouldn't you…" Lorelai began but Luke silenced her by holding up his hand.

"It will make it worse for Apr…"

"Daddy!"

Lorelai turned to find Willow stood by the ferns, her blue eyes wide with horror. "Daddy you're hurt!" the little girl rushed towards him. "Oh Daddy!"

"I'm OK Wills," Luke caught her with one arm. "I just need a fresh tissue," he glanced at the maid who nodded in understanding and turned away.

"Daddy you should sit down. Grandma has to sit because she's hurt, you should sit too." Willow took his free hand and started to help Luke towards the living room. Lorelai followed in confusion, a step behind trying to figure out what exactly was going on. "How did you get hurt Daddy?"

"I had a misunderstanding with someone," Luke told the child diplomatically as Willow ushered him into the seat.

"Didn't you go to see Anna?" Richard asked curiously, his arm comfortingly going around Sam's shoulder as the little boy let out a little cry of alarm.

"I did, her boyfriend," Luke shrugged. "I'm OK Grace," he added.

Lorelai moved to her youngest and scooped the almost in tears child into her arms. "It's ok Shortcake, Daddy is OK."

"April's Mommy's boyfriend hit you," Kitty summarised, her blue eyes narrowed and she looked from Lorelai to Luke and back again. "Why?"

"He said some mean things about April and Daddy got angry so he tried to leave," Lorelai explained as best she could.

"So he hit you?" Kitty scowled her eyes focused intently on Luke.

"Yes," Luke nodded, wincing with the movement.

Lorelai looked down at him and placed her hand on his shoulder trying to offer him comfort.

"What did he say mean about April?" Willow asked softly, her eyes as wide as Kitty's was narrow.

Lorelai sighed and glanced at the floor. "Do you remember that we told you that sometimes people can be mean to other people who are different."

"He was mean because April likes girls," Kitty cut to the centre of the argument. "What a crock of shit!"

"Kitty!" Lorelai gasped, surprised at the language though the sentiment was spot on.

"Katherine Charlotte Danes. You do not use that language. Where did you hear that?" Emily chastised the child.

"Sorry," Kitty looked mildly apologetic. "Bootsy and Mr Doose said it at the ice hockey game, but it is?"

"It is, but you don't say it," Lorelai moved over to Kitty and sat down beside her. Grace twisted round and curled into her and Kitty slumped back in the chair folding her arms over her chest in disgust. "Just because grown ups say it doesn't mean you can."

"I'm not mad about that. I'm mad about this man hitting Daddy when he's the one who should be hit," Kitty sat up, raising and lowering her folded arms for emphasis. "Hobophonia is wrong."

"How do you know about Homophobia?" Richard asked quietly, using the time while the maid had appeared with the first aid kit to distract the children.

"It's on the question board at schoo,l" Willow interjected as she took a wad of cotton from the first aid kit, moved to her water glass, dunked the cotton in the water and moved back to tenderly begin to wash Luke's face. "If we have a question we can put it in the box and Miss Kuschner will answer it. All hate is bad," the child sighed as she continued to clean her father's face. "It is our job as humans to be as kind and considerate to others as possible. We might not agree with how people live but if they are not hurting anyone we should not hurt them. The only thing we should be intolerant off is intolerance," she nodded her head firmly.

"Yep," Kitty nodded in agreement. "We're good humans people," she pointed to herself and Willow

"Yes you are," Lorelai agreed, tenderly smoothing her hand across Kitty's hair.

"I don't understand why Anna would be with someone who thinks like that," Emily shook her head "He's obviously rich or…"

"Or?" Lorelai looked at Emily, her eyebrows quirking upwards as she realised what her mother had alluded to, she stifled a grin despite her concern over Luke "Oh."

"Yes," Emily agreed blushing slightly and looking down at her arm. Emily self-consciously cleared her throat "He sounds awful, regardless. As Willow said, you may not like the way someone conducts their life but you should not actively seek to hurt them. Splitting up a mother and daughter like this," she shook her head and glanced sideways at Lorelai her thought trailing off. "How are you going to tell April?"

Lorelai shook her head, completely at a loss to what should happen next. "I don't know Mom. We'll figure it out."


	11. Them's the breaks Part 2

**AN - uggh is right. Thank you guys, yes Jez is awful so much s that I had to completely rewrite this chapter as I could just not get him or Anna wrote, which was a shame because there was a couple sentences surrounding April and then Richard which were great, even if I do say so myself. But Anyways a different from plannned but hopefully enjoyable part 2 to this particular thread. The Catalan in this is from google translate so if it's wrong I'm sorry but I don't speak Catalan and needed to include it so used the tool at hand. As every all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and very gratefully recieved, Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.x**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 – Them's the breaks Part 2**

April opened the room of her dorm and waved her friends in. "Hi," she hugged Carice then, Ashley and Rose in turn before greeting Haley who had only just returned after a slightly extended break. "Did you have a good holiday?"

"The usual," Haley dramatically flopped onto April's bed, nearly unending a stack of books which she caught before they fell.

"Which means?" April's brow creased warily.

"Which means the rest of us are in for a moan fest," Carice chuckled, her eyes scanning the room. "These the books you scored?" she nodded at April's new books.

"Yeah, the ones from my grandparents, they are all brand new too!" April rescued the books from the bed and set them on her desk. "If you need to borrow or copy let me know," she glanced at Ashley who was on the same degree programme but with a few slight variances in their classes.

"So the plan for the night is to hit Jolene's. They have an open mic which could either be awesome or totally lame." Rose muttered scrolling through her phone. "San, Amber and Kristin are going to meet us there. So are you ready?" she flicked her dark eyes up from the phone and scanned April.

"Almost. I just need to check in with home. Lorelai was supposed to call me to let me know how my Grandma was doing. She fell and broke her arm and they were all going to see her today. Sorry I got the time wrong, I thought I had ten minutes," she glanced at her watch.

"We're early," Carice dropped onto the bed, her hand feeling the cover. "I like your sheets, they're soft. Is it the fabric or your conditioner? Mine always end up a little crunchy."

"Both I think," April nodded to her cupboard. "You can try some if you want."

"Maybe," Carice stood up again and moved to the cupboard so she could look for the detergent.

April grabbed her phone and hit her home number, turning away from the other girls so she didn't feel like she was being watched. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw waving and turned to find Carice holding a smart plum velour jacket that Lorelai had given her a few years ago, which she had never worn but kept in case the occasion arose. She raised her eyebrows as Carice mouthed 'wear this at her' before throwing it at Haley and turning back to rifle through her closet. In her mild confusion she missed the sound of the phone connecting.

"HELLO!" The young voice bellowed down the phone when she didn't respond straight away.

"Kitty?" April placed her hand on her ear, mildly befuddled by the goings on in the room. "It's April. I just wanted to see how tea went, how is Grandma?"

"She's OK," Kitty gave a dramatic sigh. "She wouldn't let us draw on her cast, but she'll be OK."

"Oh OK. Lore…your Mom said she was going to call. I was a bit worried because she didn't," April explained quickly. She frowned as Kitty cleared her throat and then made an 'errrrr' sound. "Kitty, is everything OK?"

"Well," Kitty cleared her throat again. "Um…stuff has happened."

"With Grandma and Grandpa?" April asked warily. Lorelai had told her how out of sorts they had been following Emily's fall. Kitty's hesitance in answering fully had her nervous.

"No," Kitty said carefully.

There was a pause and April could imagine Kitty stood in the living room looking for either Lorelai or their Dad. There was a thud, which was probably Kitty jumping off the couch and the sound of running feet as Kitty evidently made her way up the stairs. After another momentary pause in the background, April could hear her Dad exclaiming in pain followed by a 'Jeez Lorelai be careful'. "Kitty?" April called trying to get her sister's attention. "Kits?"

"I'm here. Mommy's trying to fix Daddy's nose. Oh!" Kitty exclaimed and there was another thud.

"Kitty!" April called down the phone. She could hear something going on, the sounds of feet and muffled conversation. "Hello?" A few tense moments passed and then a rustling noise as the phone sounded like it was lifted from the floor. "Hello?"

"Hello?"

"Grace? Gracie it's April, what's going on? Is everyone OK?" April asked desperately.

"Mommy nearly felled on the bed. She said she's woozy," Grace told her quietly. "She not like lotsa blood but she's OK."

April blinked; Grace was evidently repeating whatever Lorelai was saying to ensure the younger kids were not freaked out by what was happening. "Is Mommy Bleeding?" April asked carefully, terrified what was actually going on. April's throat felt like it was closing. Her brain was having difficulty in connecting what Grace was saying with what she knew.

"Daddy is," Grace told her simply. "He got hitted by a not very nice man. The man who was mean to you." There was the sound of thumping feet and the sound of a scuffle which ended with Grace screeching indignantly.

"She wasn't supposed to say that." Kitty told April seriously. "No Grace stop it. Stop it. You're not supposed to hit."

"Kitty what has happened?" April asked desperately down the phone. Imagining the worse by what she could hear, soft thumping sounds which was possibly Kitty dispensing swift discipline to their younger sister over being hit. "Hello?" She was answered with another scuffling sound.

"April," Willow's quiet voice came on the phone.

"Willow? What's happening? Is Daddy OK? What has happened?"

Willow gave a soft sniff and took a deep breath before he spoke his voice cracking with emotion yet sounding impossibly old and mature. "Your Mommy's boyfriend hit Daddy. Daddy's nose is bleeding and might be broken and Mommy doesn't like the blood. But don't worry, I'm a good nurse. I'll look after them. Everything is OK, I promise. Don't worry. I have to go now April Mommy needs water. Bye April. I love you."

April blinked in surprise as the call disconnected leaving her with just the sound of dead air. Dazed she turned around, lowering her handset to stare at her home screen. The other girls in the room had stopped their analysis of her belongings and were staring at her with wide eyed intrigue. "My Mom's boyfriend broke my Dad's nose," she told them in a horrified whisper. She jumped slightly as the other girls all began to ask further questions. "This is my fault."

"How is it your fault?" Carice asked stepping towards her.

"I told Dad, what he said…about how he was homophobic and how Mom sided with him," April looked up at the young woman in front of her. "That's why…"

"You haven't wanted to speak to her," Carice surmised. She turned sharply and looked at Haley. "No complaining."

"I wasn't going to," Haley threw the jacket to one side. "So, you want to ditch tonight?"

"We are all ditching tonight," Rose stepped forward shoving the other girl lightly. "April do you want to go home. It's nothing but parties this weekend, nothing to miss. I can come with you." The young woman rested her hands on April's shoulder. "Come on, let us take you home. Its two hours it's not so far. Come on." Cautiously she wrapped her arms around April and gave her a hug. "Let's go check everything is OK."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Here Mommy."

Lorelai tried to focus on the beaker of water that was being thrust at her. Luke had coughed and set off another massive nose bleed and she had tried to help before her disgust at blood had taken the better of her. She was fine with small volumes of blood but when it got too much, it got the better of her. She liked a tv screens distance between her and gore. The entire evening was off, the girls were fighting, Sam had retreated to his room. The only one who seemed in control was Willow. Lorelai shakily took the glass and took a sip.

"Daddy head forward," Willow insisted.

"Honeybunch," Lorelai reached for her daughter. Willow had drawn her hair back into a low ponytail and was wearing an apron. The first aid kit was laid out methodically and a large wad of tissue was currently being pressed to Luke's nose.

"It's OK Mommy," Willow told her softly. "Daddy should see a real doctor I'm not a proper nurse."

"Yeah," Luke mumbled. "I should get a cab."

"Yeah, you should have let them look at you earlier," Lorelai whisper, squeezing his arm in what she hoped was a comforting manner. "I should come with you."

"You should look after the kids," Luke made to shake his head but stopped thinking better of it. "They need you more than I do. I've done this before remember, though fist seems to get better results than a tree trunk." He tried to smile but instead ended up wincing.

"Oh Hun," Lorelai tenderly brushed her finger down his cheek.

"I can go with Daddy Mommy," Willow suggested as she moved to tidy up the first aid kit.

"You help Mommy Willow," Luke told her softly. He slowly got to his feet and moved over to the phone. "Daddy is OK."

"Alright," Willow sounded uncertainly before shaking her head with a tired air.

Lorelai smiled at the eight year old as the child looked up and studied her. "How come you are so good in a crisis honey?"

"Hermione is good in a crisis and I want to be like her, she's the best and the smartest," Willow told her sagely, "and I like people to not be hurt." She sighed and stood up.

Lorelai resisted the urge to flinch as Willow studied her intently. While as tiny children it had always been commented on how like her the twins looked, as they got older it became even more obvious. On occasion it was like looking in a weird time travel mirror. "I'm OK."

"I just want to check Mommy," Willow took her wrist and pressed her fingers into them, though not in any place that she would be able to feel a pulse rate. After a few moments Willow let go of her hand. "You seem OK."

"I am," Lorelai assured her, stifling a smile at Willow acting out what a nurse would do. "I just had a funny five minutes."

"What's new," Luke mumbled.

"And see Daddy is making jokes so he's OK too. Thank you for taking care of us," Lorelai cupped Willow's face.

"I like taking care of people," Willow smiled and then shrugged out of her grip. "So what now Mommy?"

"Daddy's going to go see a doctor. And I think we can all do some cuddling and maybe watch a movie to help everyone feel OK. What should we watch?"

"Brave," Willow said without a moment's hesitation. "We all need to feel brave today."

"Ok Honeybunch, Brave," Lorelai nodded. "Why don't you go set it up?"

* * *

 **xXx**

When she was certain that Grace had fallen asleep for the fourth time Lorelai carefully extricated herself from the child's vice like grip and padded out onto the hallway. With a sigh she sank into the window seat overlooking the driveway and pulled the blanket that resided there around her. Cocooned in warmth she reached for her cell phone, her eyes fixed on the driveway for any sign of life. Quickly she hit the contact she wanted and waited for the call to connect.

"Hi Mom."

"Hi Babe, interrupting?" She smiled slightly at the sound of Rory's voice. "Not too late?"

"Nothing important." Rory answered with the sound of rustling books. "Same time zone remember? So?"

"So," Lorelai let out a dramatic groan. "What a day!"

"It sure does sound it. Is Luke back yet?" Rory's voice was laced with sympathy. "Doesn't the health center close at like eight or something?"

"Last admittance is 8. George will stay open as long as is needed," Lorelai snuggled down into the warmth and sighed.

"Is the doctor there actually called George? Or are you referencing George Clooney?" Rory asked with an air of amusement. "Bit of an old reference."

"It was my peak awesomeness. His name is Jack. Anyway not important," She shook her head and frowned. "Mommy needs sympathy, not teasing over my out of dateness."

"Sorry Mom. So today was sucky and awful."

"It was," Lorelai sighed again. "But Willow was so cute. She was doing that I'm a nurse thing. Where does she get that from? Me and Luke are awful with blood and injury. Completely useless."

"But you are both uber compassionate so she's just taken that a little further," Rory suggested. There was a rustling sound at the end of the line. "Hang on a second Mom."

"Is that Gigi?" Lorelai asked listening to the sound of the muffled voices with Rory hastily explaining something to someone.

"Back. Yeah. She's having a sleepover for her birthday party. They were after more carrot sticks."

"Carrot sticks? At a sleepover?" Lorelai scoffed. "Have I taught you nothing."

"It's Spencer's influence. Hummus and carrot sticks. Though they did have 3 large pizza between them. And a whole bunch of candy."

"Much better," Lorelai sighed. "I'm sorry that I interrupted the party. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Isn't that something you should say to Luke. It sounds kinda kinky," Rory giggled lightly.

"Not in that way. I don't want you whispering sweet nothings to me. Actually, with Luke as my supposed sweet nothing provider, I clearly don't want anyone whispering sweet nothings to me. I just wanted to hear you." Lorelai's brow creased. "I know it sounds weird, but I just needed to hear it. Let's me know you are OK."

"I get it."

"Good," Lorelai sighed. She looked down at the driveway, the snowy ground momentarily illuminated as a car pulled into the driveway. "Babe, Luke is back, I have to go."

"Ok Mom," Rory answered quietly. "Let me know if there is anything I can do."

"There isn't," Lorelai told her quietly. She paused for a moment, watching the unfamiliar car park. She gasped as April and two other girls climb out. Refraining from telling Rory she paused for a moment. "You know I love you right, and that I support you in everything, and that I will always believe you."

"I know Mom. I always know." Rory's voice sounded like it broke slightly. "You're the best Mom anyone could hope for."

"You're the best too," Lorelai smiled but her eyes began to water. She missed Rory, hated her being so far away and it was moments like this that she felt it so sharply. She just wanted to give her a hug. "I love you kid."

"Back at you. Now," Rory's voice steeled. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Ok," Lorelai closed the call, and slowly stood up from the window seat. She kept the blanket wrapped around her and moved slowly down the stairs. By the time she reached the bottom April had opened the door and an icy blast of night-time January air was rushing into the hallway with the three young women. As Lorelai reached the bottom stair April closed the door and glanced up to look at her. She looked exhausted, his face was etched with stress and concern. As the latch clicked Lorelai took the last few steps, with an effective swoop lifted the blanket off her own shoulders and deposited it around April's. Lorelai closed the blanket and rubbed the soft fabric covering April's arms. "Hi Apricot." She leaned forward and kissed April tenderly on the forehead. When she took a step back she turned to April's friends. "Hi I'm Lorelai, April's Step Mom. Not the wicked kind, more Glinda."

"I'm Carice, this is Rose," The slightly taller of the two girls introduced herself.

"Good names," Lorelai smiled with a slight chuckle. "You guys eaten?" The girls shook their heads. "Well there is fixings for sandwiches, so you can do that, but if you fancy something hot I can order you a pizza." She guided the young women into the kitchen and nodded towards the kitchen table. "You want coffee? Or we got water or…" she opened the fridge, "Um…no nothing else. It's grocery shop day tomorrow." She moved to the cupboard. "There is tea. Luke likes it. So does April. You want some tea. Oooh," she exclaimed in mild excitement. "Cocoa and we have marshmallows," she turned to show the young women. Her smile faltered. She had been hoping that acting normally would help but it wasn't. April looked one step away from crying, her friends studying her with worry. "What do you know Sweetie?"

"I called earlier, the twins and Grace told me that Jez hit Dad," April looked at her with burning eyes. "Where is Dad?"

"He's at the Health Center," Lorelai moved back to the table and sat down beside April. "Was this when they were fighting? I kinda spaced out for a bit. Your Dad was trying to rival Kubrick. He's fine," she added quickly. "But you know, noses, bleed!"

"I don't understand what happened." April whispered inching her chair closer to Lorelai's.

Sensing she wanted connection Lorelai reached her hand out and rested it on April's hand. "Your Dad went to talk to your Mom. He was mad about what happened and he wanted to…he was going to call her out on being a sucky Mom over what this guy had said to you." She squeezed April's hand as April's eyes widened further. "Anyway, the boyfriend turned up and made your Dad even madder and your Dad tried to leave but the boyfriend thought he was going to hit him. So, he hit him first."

"Oh my god," April's shoulders sagged.

"Your Dad is fine or will be once they sort the bleeding bit out," Lorelai assured her. She rubbed April's arm comfortingly. "I promise he's going to be fine," April nodded uncertainly, clearly processing what she had just been told. "You want me to order that pizza?" Lorelai looked up at April's two friends who had been silently absorbing the conversation. "Do you want one with everything, or plain. Oh are you guys into fruity stuff because you are at college?"

"Like pineapple?" The one with long dark hair, Rose, wrinkled her nose. "I'm a never pineapple person."

"Good girl," Lorelai nodded in agreement, "but no, I meant like don't eat cheese because it's from milk."

"I'm not vegan," Rose shook her head with a smile "Margherita is fine."

"I'll just get a large one then," Lorelai squeezed April's hand again and got up to go in search of the phone.

"Lorelai?" April called her back.

"Yeah Apricot?" Lorelai turned to look back at her. She swallowed the concern that rose in her throat. April's dark eyes were swimming with unshed tears. The young woman clearly just holding it together.

"What about Mom?" April's voice was barely audible.

"I don't know," Lorelai answered honestly. "Has she tried to contact you?" April gave the tiniest shake of her head. Lorelai inhaled heavily, her anger rising. "We'll deal with that one tomorrow. Pizza first. And I'll go get the beds made up." She gave the young women a small smile. "I apologize for my lapse in hospitality," she affected a southern accent. "I wasn't expecting guests, do pardon my lack of preparedness for your arrival." She found the phone and began to dial the number. "You two fight over who gets the big room. Oh, Hi Joe it's Lorelai. Can I get a large cheese pizza, and a side of garlic bread? Any specials? Uh huh…so a cookie? But it's baked cookie dough, that's a cookie. Right. Well bring three baked cookie doughs that are not cookies as well. No that's it. Thanks Joe." she put the phone on the side. "It will be about half an hour." She glanced back towards the stairs as she sensed movement, more than one of the kids out of their bedroom and hovering by the stairs. "You guys OK with little kids? Because I think Apricot's about to get loved by her younger brother and sisters."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke gently placed his hand against his cheek and sighed. Weirdly the pressure felt nice. His face was sore and his eyes were somewhat blurry. He probably shouldn't have been driving but he had sent April's friends back to school on the Saturday keeping April with them for the rest of the weekend and now he had to get her back to school. Of course Emily had insisted on seeing her granddaughter upon finding she was back and while it had bugged him because he was exhausted and in pain, now that he was here he could see it was a good idea. Richard and Emily were fawning over April to an almost sickening level but every single word that was coming out of their mouths was filled with love. He hoped that this topped with everything that Lorelai and he had said and done plus the enormous amount of hugs April had received from her younger sisters would help April cope with what had happened. He looked up as the kindly maid who had greeted him with a smile chattered something to him in a language he didn't understand but thought was possibly Spanish.

"Pardon, no entiendo," Luke tried in his basic, or more to the point barely there Spanish. He had only learnt a bit because April had been studying it in high school but as with most things academic it had gone over his head and he really didn't know more than counting to ten, asking if someone spoke English and asking where is the library. Judging from the look on the maid's face he'd clearly had said that wrong, or else she didn't speak Spanish. Maybe Portuguese?

"Has d'anar aviat. Tens un llarg viatge per davant i et veus cansat. No és bo conduir el cansat senyor Danes." The maid repeated again a fraction slower than before.

Luke raised his arms and wincingly shook his head to show he did not understand. "You rival my wife with speed." The maid gave him a bemused smile and then tapped her watch and then mimed driving and then yawning. Luke glanced at his own watch and a short nod of understanding. "Yeah."

"Do you need to get going?" Emily asked evidently watching the interaction. Her voice sounded mildly upset but she glanced at the clock on the mantle. "You do need to get going. Do you want to take some food?"

"Yes Luke take something. It's a good four hours round trip," Richard agreed as he stood.

"I'm OK thank you," Luke stood and smiled weakly at his father in law. "I'll get something later. I don't have Lorelai's appetite or impatience." His smile strengthened as Richard let out an amused chuckle. "Can I use the bathroom before I go?"

"Of course. Go right ahead," Richard pointed towards the downstairs bathroom.

Luke moved slowly giving April time to say her goodbyes to her grandparents. When he finished he exited the room and crossed to the living room where Emily was sat by the fire, apparently having not moved and Richard was stood making a whisky with an angry expression on his face. "Thank you. She needed that I think."

"She's our granddaughter, none of this was put on for the purpose of this unpleasentness," Emily nodded stiffly. "Drive safely."

"Sure," Luke inclined his head slowly to show acceptance. "Well. Have a good rest of your weekend." He muttered lamely before inclining his head awkwardly and moving to the front door. The curly haired maid was stood by the doorway jabbering away at April in her yet undetermined language pointing excitedly at a plastic container. He paused as he watched her cup April's cheeks with her hands, kiss her forehead and then whisper 'Noia encantadora' to her. As he stepped closer her hands moved down to April's shoulders and finally she let her grip go and opened the door with a wide warm smile. April filed out, staring into the container to try and determine what she had been given. Luke followed them. He waved vaguely at the maid in lieu of being able to nod. "What did you say to her?"

The maid tipped her head for a moment evidently translating. "Noia, girl. Ecantadora, lovely."

"Lovely girl," Luke repeated.

"Si," The maid nodded enthusiastically, "Ets un bon pare." She patted Luke's chest. "Good Father."

"Thanks," Luke blushed mildly, and extended his hand. "Luke,"

"Berta," The maid gave him another beaming smile and took his hand seizing it firmly. She gave it three hard shakes and then stepped back waving him goodbye.

Luke waved once back at her and then made his way over to the truck. He climbed in and waited for April to get situated. "What she give you?"

"I don't know, looks like donut holes," April shrugged and sat back in her seat. "Dad can we make a stop?"

"Sure, where do you want to go?" Luke asked as he started the truck.

"Mom's apartment," April reached into her jacket and pulled out a mildly crumpled envelope. "I want to leave this. I don't want to speak to her. Just leave it"

Luke studied the envelope. "Sure. We can do that."

"You don't want to know what it says?" April asked softly.

"If you want me to know," Luke smiled at her. He turned his attention onto the road and drove out of the Gilmore's large driveway. When the truck reached the end of their street he glanced at April once more. "You want to put some music on?"

April pulled a face. "Not your music. Anyhow I like the quiet."

"Me too," Luke agreed and pulled out onto the busier road. "We can stop for food if you want."

April shook her head. "I'm not hungry, but we can if you want."

"I'm good," Luke shrugged. They drove in silence for a few minutes until he pulled into the lane that would take them to Anna's neighbourhood. April scrunched the letter gently in her hands. "It's Ok Apes. Whatever it …"

"I tell her I don't want to see or speak to her again while she is with him," April interrupted him. She looked downwards at the letter. "I think she's already made her decision though. She hasn't called me."

"It's not about you," Luke moved the car into a free parking space and set the car in park. "This is all about her Apes and that guy."

"There's something wrong with him," April whispered staring out the window up at the building. "He's done something too her."

"I know," Luke whispered watching April intently, "and I know you are worried, but your Mom is an adult."

"I guess," April sighed and reached for the handle. As she half climbed out of the car she turned back to look at him. "If she realises will you help her?"

"Yeah." Luke told her, seeing April's hesitation he added softly. "I'll always care about her Apes, she gave me you," he smiled as he watched the rush of relief flood April's face and then followed her as she began to walk towards the building. She disappeared inside for a moment and then exited her hands empty and folded across her chest. She slumped into the car and looked back up at the building. Luke slid his hand across to her and placed it on her shoulder. "It's OK April."

"It will be," April smiled weakly at him. Her expression hardened and her eyes cleared and she looked in the direction of the road. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah," Luke put the truck in gear and guided it out onto the road. They sat in silence for several minutes until they reached the highway and he heard string of buzzes coming from April's purse. "How many message has Lorelai sent you already?"

"I think that makes it twelve," April smiled and rifled in her bag to find her phone. "No fourteen," she snorted in amusement.

Luke smiled as she relaxed into the seat and began to message Lorelai back. Pleased that although bruised April was going to be OK and that she knew how much she was loved.


	12. And on we go

**AN - Thank you guys, the April anna thing is just at it's beginning, but it will get resolved. So after the nastiness a couple of cchapters of fluff. Sorry it took longer for this one. Had a major piece of coursework to work on. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 12 – And on we go**

"Ok, Love you," Luke waited for the quiet 'you too' and then the beep that signified the end of the call before setting the phone back in the cradle on the wall.

"That better have been our girl. Or else who do I have to fight?"

Luke jumped at the sound of Lorelai's voice and turned around to give her a wry smile. "It was." In the six weeks since the April and Anna's fall out he had taken to calling April every day. Sometimes they talked for thirty seconds, other days for thirty minutes. Today had been a short day. April had a lab report due and was also working on an event with her friends so was busy. But he wanted her to know he was always thinking of her and that she was always loved. This was then furthered by Lorelai who had upped her texting and also touched base by phone every few days though those calls nearly always lasted an hour. He liked listening to them talk though because Lorelai would laugh and joke which he hoped meant April was as well; he had a feeling she did because Lorelai would do her cute little chortle thing she did that he always found adorable. "She might need to call you for some advice."

"On?" Lorelai quirked her eyebrows curiously.

"Some costume thing she and her friends are doing," Luke shrugged. "So what are you doing here?"

"I was struggling with the sandwiches and Sam wanted Apple juice. And I was like who can make sandwiches and has apple juice," she gestured towards him with a smile. "Two ham on white with whatever green stuff you think our kids will eat and one grilled cheese please with nothing healthy on it."

"Side salad," Luke countered. "Which you have to eat or else I will do nothing but grilled chicken and salad for the rest of the week."

"Mean," Lorelai mock pouted. "Fine I'll eat the side salad."

"Good," Luke scribbled her order down and turned to the pass. "Ceser order." When he turned back around Lorelai had moved from her seat and was staring at the art supplies at the end of the counter. "That's Arielle's."

"Oh, I thought maybe Taylor had got to you," Lorelai smirked. She glanced over her shoulder checking on Grace and Sam who were sitting well behaved, each engrossed in their own activity. Sam with another dinosaur book and Grace with a my little pony who's mane she was attempting to braid. "What's it for?"

"She does posters on the side. To earn extra money," Luke muttered with a frown. His expression was matched by Lorelai. "I think she's hoping it will lead to something. She did marketing or something as part of her degree."

"I know. She does so much. Such a hustler, I wonder how she has time to sleep," Lorelai moved away from the art supplies. "Is she about?"

"She had to go to the drug store, we're quiet, so I let her go," Luke told her softly as he moved to get the apple juice from the chiller. Collecting the bottle, he moved to where he kept the kid safe beakers and began the careful process of diluting the juice down without the kids seeing. "its a couple days before payday, it always gets like this."

"It does," Lorelai frowned for a moment and scanned around the diner. "Always?"

"Yeah, still get the meal crowds but rarely anyone mid meal beyond coffee purchasers. Besides, the sheep are all on their healthy eating New Year resolutions ridiculousness. Give it a few weeks I will be selling out of fries," he snorted in mild annoyance and reached to get her a coffee mug. "You are not having fries."

"Man, you are being mean today," Lorelai pouted she smiled cheekily at him and then sighed heavily her expression falling. "I tried to get hold of Sookie again."

"No joy?"

"None. And her voicemail is now full. So I can't even leave a message filled with these dulcet tones." She rolled her eyes. "I just need to find out what is going on. Manny is slightly panicky because he knows that if he plans the menu too far in advance and Sookie doesn't like it all the food orders will be wrong. Not to mention all the staffing issues. Michel is losing his mind. He's at peak Frenchness."

Luke nodded with a smirk. "She'll call you."

"But when? She was supposed to be back at work five days ago. The kitchen staff are all spooked because they don't know where they stand. Not to mention when she does get back I have to try to explain to Sookie that tickets are up because while her food is amazing, Manny's twists on classics appeal more to the locals," Lorelai dropped her hands into her head dramatically. "Anyway you see the dilemma that caused the sandwich crisis. Also my parents called."

"Because?"

"Mom's getting her cast off and wants me to come with her and Dad. Which I should do even though it's going to be third circle of hell stuff. But I promised the kids I would take them to the pet fair after school on Thursday because you know we are a terrible Mommy and Daddy for not letting them have a pet. They want to cuddle puppies and kittens. What's the face?"

"April was telling me about this new show she was watching and I checked it out," Luke explained with a grimace. "It's another zombie thing. Anyway, in that they call the zombies, puppies and kittens and I just had you know…" he gave a shudder as the horrifying image of his children being attacked by zombies filtered across his mind. "I don't need that."

"Ew," Lorelai reached across the counter and smacked his chest with the back of her hand. "And NO. Don't ever think things like that. I should really try to get her onto better shows," Lorelai shook her head in dismay. "Your fault by the way, what with the trekkie nonsense."

"Yeah because your desperate housewives of Atlanta is better than walking corpses eating people," Luke slid the carefully concocted juice drinks across the counter to her.

"It's a similar premise," Lorelai snorted in amusement. She grinned as the bell above the door rang. "Customer."

"Just Arielle," Luke shrugged.

"Just Arielle. Just Arielle." Lorelai rolled her eyes and turned around to greet the young woman. "You hear this?"

"Will you stop," Luke pleaded quietly as he turned to get the sandwiches that Cesar had just shoved onto the pass.

"No," Lorelai poked her tongue out at Arielle. "You ok?"

"Oh sure," Arielle's hands tightened nervously around the paper bag she was holding and glanced sideways at Luke.

"Girl stuff?" Lorelai guessed from the shape and size of the package within the bag.

"Yeah," Arielle blushed.

"Don't be nervous about it with old grumpy pants over there. He has to deal with me, plus he's going to have to get used to three teenage girls in a few years." She let out a little giggle and looked at Luke for a reaction.

He tried not to give one. Tried to keep his face impassive but it was impossible and Lorelai let out a little self-congratulatory 'ha'. It wasn't that he was freaked out by girls having to deal with perfectly normal natural bodily functions, though he would rather leave it purely to having to know about his wife's. It was the thought of his beautiful little girls being teenagers. When they were teenagers and older he couldn't protect them in the same way that he could now. He set the sandwich down in front of Grace and smiled at her. She returned a megawatt smile as a form of thanks. She curled her hard plastic toy into her side and cuddled it while she picked up her quartered sandwich and began to nibble elegantly. He looked down as Lorelai's arms snaked around his middle and then to the side as her chin came to rest on his shoulder.

"You don't mention zombies. I won't mention them being any older than they are now. Deal," she kissed the side of his cheek.

"Deal."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Rory."

"Mark," Rory mumbled, quickly hovering her cursor over the notes she was reviewing before looking up at her supervisor.

"Those courses, do you have them?" The middle-aged man asked her as he scanned her eyes over her.

"Courses?" Rory repeated, she glanced towards the screen, which featured a module that had previously been taught but was being transformed into a MOOC. She had been given the work yesterday; the deadline was for content review and amendments was March. "The ones from yesterday? That's what I'm working on now."

"No, no," Mark shook his head seemingly distracted. "The ones from November. Are they done?"

"November," Rory repeated and blinked at him as she absorbed what he said. "The ones you told me not to bother with because they weren't needed."

Mark shot her a momentarily panicked look before puffing out his chest. "I never said that. Just to work on them on the back burner."

"No," Rory leaned back in her chair. She crossed her legs at her ankle and rearranged her full check skirt using the time to collect herself. "You said we might revisit the need for them over the summer session. I've not done anything further to them owing to what you said and the push for the student academic skills," she took a deep breath and watched as the man went an interesting shade of puce, his recollection obviously now catching up with him and a level of panic setting in. She continued to stare at him, her own nerves beginning to rise. She knew what was coming but she was not going to offer any kind of lifeline.

"Right," he spluttered. "Well, I told Eve about them and she wants to review them at SMT next week for view for implementation."

"Next week," Rory sat forward and switched to her computer calendar. It was the run up to midterms and the beginnings of the majorly stressed students as they rushed to get their work perfect. In addition to her regular workload, she had the course review and she had to assist with the collection review. There was no way she could squeeze anything else in. "What do you not want me to do then?" she gestured to her calendar.

"What?" The middle-aged man spluttered again. His eyes flicked over her screen. "All of it. You have to do all of it."

"I don't have time to do all of it," Rory pointed out. She buried her hands into her pocket and clenched her fists. Her contract for the college was 25 hours though realistically she worked upwards of 30 by the time she factored in the covering she did and stuff she took home. The department was understaffed and Mark specifically was always kingdom building, always looking to bring more and more things in so he seemed important even though he did very little of the work himself. She glanced across at Karen. Her colleague's face was pulled taught and Rory knew that meant that Karen was only a day from a flip out, which would mean more work coming her way.

The other man looked at her, his puffy face almost florescent. He gave a sharp little breath and then shrugged. "You'll just have to figure it out. I need it by Friday so I can make any changes that are needed," he spun around without giving her a chance to respond.

Slowly Rory pulled her hands out of her pocket and picked up her pen. In frustration, she threw her pen down and it skittered across the desk rolling to a halt beside Daphne's half-eaten sandwich. The other woman peered around her screen before sending the pen back.

"Deep breath," the other woman counselled. "I don't need another." She subtly inclined her head towards Karen. "I'll cover your shift on the desk for you today. Just remember Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai sat in the chair beside her mother and threw her phone into her purse with a heavy sigh. She fiddled with the clasp for a few seconds longer than necessary feeling her mother's insistent side eye on her.

"I take it that was important." Emily asked coolly, her tone quite effectively carrying the unsaid 'more so than me'.

"It was Rory," Lorelai stated simply and she took satisfaction in her mother straightening her shoulders. "She needed a pep after the other day. That boss of her has pushed all of her buttons. I feel like squishing him."

"Now Lorelai," Richard mumbled from his chair opposite the pair turning his paper over to look at the next clue to the crossword. "She's an adult. These things happen. Part of the world of work is learning to deal with incompetent morons."

"Yeah but he's…" Lorelai started to grumble. She trailed off as her father stared at her over the top rim of his glasses. His gaze an silent telling off. She felt unable to say anything more because she knew he was right. "Did they say how much longer it would be?"

"Who knows, there is always delays in this ridiculous hospital," Emily sighed dramatically and looked down at her cast. "I just want this dirty thing off. It is impossible to keep clean, I dread to think what it looks like underneath."

"Scales showing through, huh Mom?" Lorelai reopened her purse and dragged out a small pot of moisturiser. "That's why I brought this. Not your usual I know, but it will do the trick for now. Besides they are going to put you in a splint so no one will see."

"What?" Emily sat up a little straighter.

"Yeah. You're still healing," Lorelai nodded putting the moisturiser back in her purse. "You just don't need the cast, but you still need the support. You should talk to April about it. It's kind of fascinating in a totally gross did not need to know that kind of way."

"You were discussing me with April?" Emily raised her eyebrows the smallest of smiles playing on her lips.

"Yeah, we were talking and I said I was coming along to help and she went off on bones knitting and yeauchness. Sometimes, I wonder if she has picked the right field. I know the environment is important and everything, but she does get overly excited about medical issues and bodies doing weird things. She would be a good M.E. I reckon. A more fashionable version of Quincy. Slightly."

"She doesn't really go in for fashion at all does she," Emily mused. "I was wondering if I should offer to take her shopping for a suit. Every young woman needs a good suit. Unless you were going to take her."

"You can ask her." Lorelai shrugged. "I've not thought about it. She hates shopping, so I never offer to take her but I'm sure she'd like some Grandma/ Granddaughter time," she smiled softly as Emily seemed to relax a fraction. Her mother's shoulders shimmied slightly and she looked across at her father who had lowered his paper just a fraction with a knowing smile. "You think there's a vending machine around?"

"What on earth for?" Emily looked at her mildly curiously.

"Hospital vending machines always have the weirdest stuff." Lorelai shrugged and glanced over her shoulder looking around for something to occupy her time.

"Honestly," Emily shook her head in annoyance. "You are four."

"Well I do hang around with that age group all day," Lorelai flopped back into her seat. "This is so boring."

"You should have brought something to read Lorelai," Richard mumbled. He rustled his paper as if preparing to split it to give to her.

"Don't," Emily barked, shooting a warning look at Richard, "you are here to support me. I don't want you with your head in the paper also."

"Or I could stick my head in the paper and Dad could support you," Lorelai flexed her legs. "Hi Daddy," she smiled innocently as Richard sent her a glowering look. "Can I have the cartoons?"

"No."

Lorelai snorted as Richard and Emily answered at the same time. "Well that filled a whole sixty seconds. What about the puzzle page?"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Oh, Daddy, look,"

Luke stumbled as Willow insistently grabbed his hand and began to drag him towards a pen holding fluffy blonde dogs.

"They're so cute," The twins dropped to their knees beside the pen, quickly followed by Grace who elbowed her way between then to join them in jamming their small fingers through the bars of the pen in an attempt to attract one of the puppies out of the fluffy blonde ball.

"Golden Retriever," the breeder sidled up to Luke. "Excellent with kids."

"I'm sure," Luke muttered. He pressed his lips into a thin line, suppressing the annoyance he felt at being left alone with dealing with something that was going to destroy his kids when he reaffirmed to them that they couldn't have one.

"We not getting a dog," Sam said quietly beside Luke. Luke looked down as his son slid his little hand into his. The child looked up at the breeder. "We're too little. Mommy and Daddy not got time."

"Maybe when they're older," Luke muttered, smiling weakly at the breeder who was already stepping away now that he knew he was not going to get a sale.

"Daddy, please," Willow turned to look at him, her eyes wide and her eyelashes fluttering. "Look at how cute. Please Daddy, we need a dog. Dogs…"

"Wills, no, we talked about this. Everyone is too young to have a dog." Luke gave an exasperated sigh. He looked down as Sam squeezed his hand and then back at the girls. All three had turned to look at him, Kitty was scowling but Willow and Grace had their eyes as wide as possible. Their irises were shimmering pools surrounding by white and he knew this was it. He was about to get a two prong meltdown in the middle of town. "Come on guys, why don't we go back to the diner?"

"No," Kitty stood up and folded her arms across her chest. She took a heavy sigh. "If we can't get a puppy we can at least look. Mommy promised we could look at all the animals and have cuddles."

"Yeah," Willow made an ominous whimpering noise.

Luke looked as his daughters in mild desperation as Grace's bottom lip began to tremble at a frequency that he knew meant tears were approaching. "Ok, we can look."

"And cuddle," Kitty told him seriously. She gave a curt nod and spun on her heels marching across the grass towards a pen of kittens.

"Ah Jeez," Sam whispered alongside him and Luke nodded in agreement.

"Come on then let's go look," Luke pointed his lead feeling hand towards the centre of the pet fair.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai slipped into the house with a sigh of relief. Instantly, she was drawn to the chattering sound of the children. She looked towards the living room. Willow was stood in the middle of the children carefully holding a ball of grey fluff. The longer Lorelai looked she realised that the ball of grey fluff was twitching. She gasped in surprise.

"Hi,"

"That's a bunny," Lorelai pointed accusingly at the children.

Luke grabbed her arm and dragged her into the kitchen before the children saw her. "I know."

"You bought a bunny?"

"They…I just couldn't say no," Luke hung his head ashamed. He sighed in annoyance at himself and scratched his head beneath the brim of his backwards baseball cap. "They were holding it and smiling and…I don't know I just…"

"Bought a bunny!" Lorelai shook her head in amusement. "We need to toughen you up young man or they are going to destroy you when they are older. You bought a bunny."

"It's a mini lop rabbit. I've told them they have to clean the cage because there is no way that you will. They said they would," Luke told her with mild annoyance. "I should have called you."

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded in agreement. She stepped backwards to look across the hallway. "They look happy."

"Yeah."

"And it looks cute."

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna go look at this purchase."

"Smokey."

"What?"

"It's called Smokey," Luke muttered feebly.

"Smokey? Not Thumper or Bugs?" She rolled her eyes. "You called a grey rabbit, Smokey?" she trotted across the hallway. "Smokey really?"

"She's so pretty," Willow gushed turned her body to show Lorelai the small rabbit in her hands.

"But Smokey?" Lorelai knelt beside the children and gingerly stroked the twitching creature in Willow's arms. "Nothing more creative?"

"We all liked Smokey," Willow qualified the name, opening her arms a little further to allow Lorelai to see the animal properly.

"I said we should call it Bugs," Sam sounded. "Like the cartoon."

"I thought that was dumb," Kitty rolled her eyes. "Too expected."

"I guess. But Bugs or Thumper are good bunny names." Lorelai leaned back on her heals. She opened her arm to let Grace onto her lap, the three and half year old wriggled into her frame and she sighed. "You all agreed on Smokey."

"They did?" Grace pointed mildly accusingly at the twins. "I want Blue."

"Why?" Sam asked, trying to shove onto Lorelai's lap as well.

"Careful Sam," Luke braced Lorelai's back with his shin to stop her toppling over. "Come sit with me."

"Kay," Sam hopped up and then cuddled into his side. "Why Blue?"

"The man said she was Blue," Grace gave a shrug and sent a look that said 'no one listens' at her sisters. "He said she was a blue mini lop bunny."

"She's not blue," Kitty pointed at the rabbit. "She's grey."

"I think that's what animals of that colour are called Bubba," Lorelai explained. She let Grace up again as the child tried to reach for the rabbit and sat up onto the couch. "We don't have to pick a name straight away."

"Oh, we could let her decide," Willow's face brightened.

"Like a speriment?" Sam followed suit bouncing away from Luke. "Put all the names on the floor, let her pick."

"Cool," Kitty crowed. "Let's do that." She moved away from Willow and the rabbit and grabbed for Lorelai's hand. "Come on Mommy we go get paper and pens and I can show you the hatch… no hutch… It's really cool." She tugged at Lorelai's hand. "Come on Mommy."

* * *

 **xXx**

As Rory's cellphone rang Spencer lowered his tablet and peered at the screen of the cellphone. He glanced at Rory curled into a ball on the sofa to his left and reached to answer it before she woke up. "Hey Lorelai."

"Oh." Lorelai sounded mildly confused. "Hi Spencer, is she…" She paused allowing him to answer her unspecific question.

"She's sleeping. She hardly slept at all last night so I don't want to wake her now," Spencer told her quietly. "Hang on a sec." He placed his tablet on the coffee table and quickly got to his feet, moving across the house to the kitchen where he was in no danger of waking Rory up. "She seems better today though."

"Seems or is?"

"Seems, I think. She's bottling but I think she's doing her succeed to spite thing," Spencer answered quickly, sensing that Lorelai was not really in a mood to discuss anything with him except the wellbeing of her daughter.

Lorelai gave a snort. "I taught her well," she made a sucking noise evidently mulling over what to say. "I have frivolous info to share with her, so if she wakes up and is in a communicative mood, I will be awake, or I can wake up to chat with her. If she needs."

Spencer nodded and then rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. "OK." He paused for a moment. "Do you think it's just a bad couple of days or something more?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," Lorelai's voice was soft. "She always got stressed out as a kid, she's that type of personality. But our special wonder Mom daughter best friend thing always kicked in. It's a family trait. I think my Mom's been on Valium since the 70's. She pops them like skittles." She paused as if awaiting for him to make a comment before continuing. "Anyway. I'm hoping it's just a bad few days. Let her succeed to spite and then we can look at nice things."

"Your spring break trip."

"Yeah," Lorelai's voice lifted. "I'm thinking some Mommy and me time be what she needs. It's my own fault I made us too co-dependent. She hasn't learned new strategies properly. And as awesome and wonderful as you are and there are things that you can do that I can't. There is still that little part of her that is five and wanting her Mommy."

Spencer chewed his lip for a moment. "I guess. I'm sorry my job meant we had to move so far away."

"Not your fault that you are a super cancer curer who was wanted by the best cancer research institute in the world," Lorelai's voice was warm. "Just you know next time. Closer to home please."

Spencer bit his lip. His job was permanent, well, at least as permanent as any job was these days. It was his dream position at his dream research institute and he had no desire to find any other job unless he got laid off. "OK," he promised. It was not strictly a lie. If he got laid off he would look for something in New England, or at least something within a 2 hour drive of Stars Hollow. "I'll let her know you called."

"Night Spencer. Kiss my girl from me."

Lorelai ended the call before he had a chance to affirm he would. With a sigh he moved back into the living room. He paused to check the blanket around Rory and then settled in beside her, ready to be by her side until she woke up.

* * *

 **xXx**

"I will, you too," April ended the phone call. She shoved the cell phone into the concealed pocket of her costume that she had balked at making but now realised was completely vital. She turned to go back into the event. She and her friends were running a fundraising drive in aid of a local, to the university, community centre that was being threatened with closure. They were aiming to raise $5000, which they hoped would be enough to at least to tide the centre over while it could examine new funding streams. The event was a costume party, with a mock casino. So far they were doing well and owing to Haley's illicit sale of shots to spike the mocktails the party was bouncing, everyone buzzed enough to be enjoying themselves as they dined on the finger food and cupcakes that she and her friends had created using the one single oven in Kristin's off campus apartment. April had thrown herself into it. When she wasn't studying or sleeping, she was helping with the event. It had helped with the quiet moments when she didn't want to think.

She gave a little squeak as she reached the door and it opened out on her.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry," Rose grinned at her. "I was just coming to check you were OK."

"It was Lorelai checking in," April explained catching the door and smiling back at the other girl, "and also imparting the knowledge that my Dad has nearly killed the new rabbit twice because Kitty keeps letting it free."

"Right," Rose held out a glass with a bright coloured liquid inside. "I'm not really sure what this is but it tastes nice. I thought you might want one."

"Thanks," April took the glass and took a sip. She gagged as the alcohol hit the back of her throat like a savage blade. "Wow. That's…um…Strong."

Rose's brow creased slightly. "Mine wasn't," she pulled her straw out of her own glass and dunked it into April's. Quickly she took a sip and withdrew with her face pulled into a grimace "yeauch. Well," she took the glass back from April and handed her the other one. "That plan went well."

"Plan?" April raised her eyebrows as she took a cautious sip. Finding this new drink actually delicious she took a healthy mouthful, this time the alcohol slid by almost unnoticed, simply cutting through the sweetness of the juice.

"Well," Rose bent down and set the offending drink on the ground. "I was…Can I kiss you?…I know you are Ace, so I don't know feel about these kind of things but…can I?"

"Kiss me?" April blinked in confusion. Her eyelids fluttered repeatedly for a few moments as she tried to comprehend. "You…wh…um?"

"If you're not Ok with it. I get it," Rose looked at her concerned, her face creased as if she was worried she had said something wrong. "It's just your cute and interesting and you make me laugh and I like you. And um…ugh! I suck at this! Normally I'd just dive in and hope for the best but then I at least know that they are lesbians. With you being Ace I didn't want to freak you…"

"I kiss. I'm not aromantic. I just don't do…um…I don't get…um… urges, you know," April trailed off and looked at the ground. "You like me?"

"I think you are great," Rose tipped her head sideways and studied April with a tinge of sadness. "If I ever find those fuckwits who made you feel like you are not worth even being liked, I'm going to slip them something nasty from the epidemiology samples lab." She nervously flicked her perfectly straightened hair. "I'd really like to spend more time with you, you know just us. Nothing hot or heavy," her eyes flared dramatically widening for a moment before returning to normal. "Too much blah with college work. Conversation and cuddles and maybe a bit of making out," her expression turned hopeful.

April gave her a nervous smile and then took a step closer. "I…um…Ok."

"Yeah?" Rose gave a delighted little bounce and then closed the remaining distance.

April's breath seemed to stick in her chest as Rose slipped her fingers into her hair. The other girl's fingers brushed her ears and the feeling filled her with nervous excitement as opposed to just dread. April leaned in a fraction and Rose came the rest of the way. Her lips pressing against hers with tender but insistent pressure. Rose tasted like orange juice. She liked orange juice.


	13. Mommy and Me Weekend

**AN - Thank you. When could Luke ever say no to anyone really. The almost killing is a kind of on accident thing, like he nearly stepped on it because it shouldn't be there. Not becuase he went grumpy hulk man, but it does read that way a llittle. The April Anna stuff is a slow burn one, other stuff takes presidence with April over the next quarter of the story. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 – Mommy and Me Weekend**

"Are you just going to lay there and watch?" Lorelai asked peering through her mirror at the twins who were sprawled across her and Luke's bed watching her intently while she went about packing her bag for her weekend away with Rory.

"Yup," Kitty nodded, rolling onto her back and lifting her legs in the air to stare at her feet.

"We're offering advice only," Willow told her leaning back against the throw pillows. "No more jeans Mommy, you got too many already."

"No such thing," Lorelai shook her head and moved over to the bed to put toiletries in the case. She frowned as she took in the closed bag with it's very lumpy appearance. Dropping the bottles on the bed she flipped open the lid of the case. "Gracie," she shook her head in amusement. Grace had managed a contortionist manoeuvre, curling herself into the bag. "That doesn't look very comfy," she held her hands out. After a moment Grace reached out giving Lorelai the leverage she needed to lift the child out of the bag. "Now you mushed up my clothes."

"You don't fold properly anyhow," Willow crawled forward and pulled out a rumpled t-shirt. With an older then her years sigh she shook the shirt so that she could fold it neatly into a perfect rectangle, one that would not look out of place in a store display.

"I not want you to go Mommy," Grace transferred her arms to Lorelai's neck, her grip vice like. "It's not fair."

"Oh Gracie," Lorelai cuddled the little girl and then tickled her. Grace gave a chortle and her grip loosened enough that Lorelai could deposit her on the bed. "I spend all day with you. I hardly never get to see Rory, and never by herself."

"We're never by ourselves." Kitty pointed out her manner oozing disinterest as she cycled her legs in the air, while her tone told Lorelai that she cared deeply.

"And when you guys are a bit older we can have Mommy and Me days," Lorelai promised. She tickled Grace again and then moved back to her case to try and resort her clothes.

"It's because Rory's special," Willow told Grace crawling over her sister to give Lorelai back her t-shirt. "She was first."

"You are all special in your own way," Lorelai took her top and set the perfectly folded shirt in her case. "But it was different with me and Rory. It was just us for a really long time," she tried to explain as Kitty rolled over onto her stomach to regard her giving up her pretence of disinterest. Grace slid off the bed to come and cuddle into her side. "No Daddy even," she rubbed Grace's shoulder as the child buried her face into her side. "Just me and Rory. Us against the world. And then when Rory went to college Mommy and Daddy stopped dancing around and admitted we really, really liked each other and eleven years later here we are. Four beautiful babies, a big house and a bunny."

"You want to have the thing you really liked for a little bit, even though you like now," Willow surmised, tutting as she took in the contents of the suitcase and began taking everything out. "Mommy, you really don't need three pairs of Jeans. You only gone two days and if you go out somewhere nice you should have nice pants."

"Yes Mom," Lorelai took one pair of jeans from the bed and threw them on the floor. "Go pick Rachel Zoe."

"Cool," Willow grinned and scampered over to the wardrobe to scan Lorelai's extensive selection of clothes.

"Why don't you pick out my jewellery?" Lorelai tweaked Grace's nose. The child nodded excitedly and hurried over to the dressing table to choose. "And what about you Miss Kitty Cat?"

"I don't need something to do Mommy. I just need to memorabalise you," Kitty told her staring at her intently. "I mean I know you, but it can use an update so I can pretend hugging you tonight."

"Well when I'm packed I want to memorabalise you too" Lorelai reached for Kitty's foot and dragged her across the bed. She grinned as Kitty giggled in delight and she bent over and blew a raspberry on the skin that was exposed on Kitty's belly. Kitty scrambled away from her laughing. "Go see if you can find your brother."

"He's packing your snacks," Kitty told her as she righted her t-shirt. "He's been keeping anything nice that Daddy lets us have so you can have them."

"Oh," Lorelai placed her hand on her chest in delight. "My sweet boy, he's like his Daddy."

"Daddy doesn't let us have candy very often," Kitty pointed out. "Sam even saved you his gummy bears!" She pulled an expression of pure disbelief. "Boys are weird."

"Yes they are," Lorelai agreed. She kissed the child on the forehead. "Go check he's not putting anything science experimenty in there will you. I don't fancy finding a maggot donuts!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai glanced at her phone again to see if Rory had messaged her but there was nothing. She looked down at her empty coffee mug and sighed. The coffee shop was heaving, but then it was New York's Grand Central Station. She could feel the barista's eyeing her for want of her table in the busy environment. She really shouldn't have any more coffee for a little while, her heart rate was rapid and she was pretty sure that when she got up from the chair she would hover out of the store. But she had twenty minutes until she could check into the hotel and she and Rory had agreed to meet at the station. She scanned the store area and sighed. She hadn't really wanted to trail around the shops with her case but she needed to do something and she needed to get away from the horrible feeling of being watched. With a sigh she tapped out a message to Rory

 **Window Shopping. Where are you?** **:(**

Gathering her belongings she dumped the snack bag that Luke and Sam had prepared on top of her case, slung her purse over her shoulder and began the process of negotiating out of the café. She didn't hover instead making her way noisily and clumsily out of the coffee shop. As the moved into the flow of people in the shopping area her phone signalled a message and she rifled onehanded through her purse.

 **Nearly here. We got stuck . Think about ten minutes out.**

Sighing Lorelai headed for what looked like a bit of open space and she pushed herself over to one side to people watch. It had been a while since she had done New York properly. While she had visited Rory a few times a year during the five years Rory had lived in New York, where Rory had lived had been away from the major tourist hubbub. It had just been a busy residential area where the biggest concern had been trying to find somewhere to park. Here in the centre of Grand Central Station it was jam packed full of people all going about their own business. It was busy and loud and the stark contrast between sleepy Stars Hollow. She checked her purse and resumed her people watching. She smiled at the old couple walking hand in hand as they slowly made their way towards the trains. Stifled a laugh at a smartly dressed business man with a trail of toilet paper stuck to his shoe and silently commiserated with the young child who desperately wanted to listen to the busker playing the guitar but was dragged away by a busy parent. After a while her phone beeped again and she rifled through her purse. She grinned as she read the message and made her way over to where she thought Rory would come out. She watched intently and after a few minutes she saw Rory making her way through the crowd. "Rory" she called excitedly and did her best to move at speed with her bags to greet her daughter.

Rory cleared the distance quicker, less hampered by her luggage which rolled on all four wheels rather than two, and rammed into Lorelai with such force that for a moment Lorelai was unable to catch her breath. "Hey Kid," she whispered hugging her daughter one armed as tightly as she could. She held on until Rory loosened her grip. "What took you so long?"

"I'm sorry," Rory looped her arm through hers and together, luggage in tow they began to make their way their way slowly towards the exit, the rest of the people in the station seemingly flowing around them like water. "There was a signal problem and we got delayed but I'm here".

"At last. I had three coffees waiting for you. I'm positively buzzing and I haven't had ridiculously energetic children to use any of it." She reached the door and let go of Rory so she could pass onto the street. "Plus a sugar cinnamon pretzel and a cookie."

"I was not that late," Rory rolled her eyes.

"No, but I got the earlier train because your grandparents basically shoved me out the door. They want their grandbaby time as much as I want my Rory time. Anyway, I've been here like an hour." Lorelai paused for a moment and then pointed towards their hotel at the end of the block. "They are museuming it. What fun that will be!"

"Museums are fun," Rory told her stumbling slightly over the uneven sidewalk. "Maybe they can get Sam into something other than dinosaurs."

"Not likely," Lorelai shook her head, "they'll probably end up getting him more dinosaur stuff knowing them. So," she pointed towards the hotel at the end of the block. "Ready."

"Yes," Rory nodded empathically. "I have been waiting for this since we talked about it."

"OK, let's do it," Lorelai looped her arm around Rory's back. "Lets experience some of that New York magic."

* * *

 **xXx**

"I need a booster seat," Lorelai scoffed as she sank into the booth in the restaurant they were eating at tonight. "And I'm not exactly short,"

"We'll just have to work on our posture," Rory grinned, pulling herself tall but the scratched and over varnished wooden table top still only came to her mid chest. "Aw, No pictures," she pointed at the menu.

"How ever will we know what a cheeseburger looks like?" Lorelai rolled her eyes and scanned the menu, for the most part all things that Luke or the Dragonfly cooked at about double the price to what she would usually pay. Not that she had to pay often these days.

"You are not getting cheeseburger in a steakhouse," Rory rolled her eyes. "You want to do the meat feast platter?"

Lorelai scanned the menu. Her eyes fell on the platter Rory suggested a veritable smorgasbord of all things meat. "Sure there is enough?" she asked somewhat seriously. While there was practically every kind of meat the restaurant served listed, there was no guarantee that they would get a decent portion of each.

"We'll get plenty of sides," Rory shrugged and scanned the sides. "Ooh Cheesy bread."

"Gotta have that," Lorelai nodded. "And look refillable soda. Do not tell Luke."

"Do I look like I'm stupid?" Rory looked up at her for a moment. "Get the waiter, I'm starving."

"Me too. Luke packed me this snack bag. He packed what he would want to eat, fruit and seed things. I need some junk, two crushed cookies and a teeny tiny bag of gummy bears was not enough." Lorelai looked over her shoulder and caught the eye of a server who nodded in acknowledgement. "So beyond stuffing ourselves with junk food that Luke would have a fit over, what is the plan for tomorrow?"

"The Public library is right down…" Rory began.

Lorelai shook her head in disgust "we are not spending our day in the library, it needs to be fun for both of us remember."

"But the New York public library is amazing and it…"

"Uh Uh," Lorelai waggled her finger at Rory good naturedly. "We can get coffee there, if there somewhere to get coffee there but other than that no. You are not fawning over books all day, especially as you can't actually take them out. It's just a building with books which is exactly the same as your house." She grinned as Rory pouted childishly. "We can stop at a book store though, I will buy you a book that you can keep. Nothing tomey though."

"I don't read tomes, well sometimes but I don't control the length of fiction. Hi," Rory greeted the server who approached from behind Lorelai. "Can we get the meat feast sharing platter, with a side of fries, a side of onion rings, side of mash potato, a side of cheesy bread, a small side salad and I'll have a refillable Coke and some tap water."

"It's Pepsi is that OK?" The server asked scribbling furiously on her pad.

"Sure," Rory nodded.

"Yuck," Lorelai grimaced. "I'll have whatever orange soda is on the refillable." She raised her eyebrows at Rory's quizzical look. "Pepsi is not the same as Coke."

"It's exactly the same," Rory reached forward and teased the menu from beneath Lorelai's hands so she could give it to the server.

"No it is not," Lorelai shook her head furiously. "Could you bring a jug of tap water. Thank you."

"Sure thing" The server gave them a mildly bemused look and moved off to place the order.

"How can you think Pepsi and Coke tastes the same?" Lorelai shook her head in disgust. "What has that Baltimore air done to your taste buds?"

"Well I'm not puritanical about my soft beverages. Nor my hot beverages," Rory shrugged.

"Do not tell me you drink tea!" Lorelai gasped in pretend horror. "No daughter of mine drinks tea."

"This one does, it's relaxing and it's hard to find the perfect cup of coffee out and about. So much choice, so much bad, the good stuff is usually super expensive. I have yet to find somewhere that makes it as good as Luke does for the price." Rory shrugged. "Somehow people seem to screw up tea less and if they do, it's cheaper, so I don't feel so bad."

"I guess. He does under-price based on quality." Lorelai smiled softly. "But I would never stoop so low as to have tea. Yuck. So, if I'm buying you a book I say we go shopping, just go up and down 5th Avenue and see where the muse takes us and then if the wallets will allow it."

"Good plan," Rory nodded and then sank back into her seat, with the height of the table nearly sinking from view. "Just us and the muse with a smattering of junk, coffee, shopping and books."

"Sounds like the most perfect of plans and for tonight after our meat feast," Lorelai leaned forward to get a better view. "I say we find a market, get some popcorn and then rent something super cheesy from the hotel listing, the cheesier the better."

Rory grinned and scrunched her nose in delight. "Our perfect Friday night, minus pizza."

"We're saving that luxury for tomorrow."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai kicked at the scuff mark on the floor to see if she could rub it out. When all that happened was that she made it worse she sat up straighter and lifted one of the books on display on the table beside her. It was a cookery book about detoxing. She rolled her eyes in disgust and put the book back. They had been in the bookstore for almost an hour. After twenty minutes perusing the kids section she had gone in search of Rory who had told her she would just be a few minutes. So Lorelai had perused the biography and memoir section before risking the health section and despite all that Rory was still not done so she had taken up residence in the chair. She sank back into the chair and looked out over the store hoping to spot Rory but her daughter was clearly hidden behind some shelf somewhere. Her boredom reaching it's peak she reached into her purse for her phone. After only two rings Rory answered. Her voice came through the device and also sounded close. "Where are you? Just talk I'll follow." Lorelai grumbled.

"I'm just looking at the fiction section."

Lorelai strained her ears to try and triangulate Rory's position. "I'm coming." She rose from the chair and followed the 'um OK' that Rory spoke. "Marco," she called as she reached the fiction area.

"Polo," Rory answered stepping out from behind a shelf. "I just need to finish looking here."

"No," Lorelai shook her head and pointed accusingly at the three books already in Rory's arm. "You have been just looking for an hour. We didn't come to New York to spend all day in the bookstore. Maybe I should have agreed to the library because at least then I could annoy the librarians with my noise. So are these the books you want?" she reached to take the books but Rory turned her body so she couldn't reach them. "I said I would get you a book."

"I haven't picked the one I want yet. I can't decide." Rory fumbled with the books, awkwardly showing Lorelai the covers.

"That one." Lorelai pointed at the one in the middle. "It's got a pretty cover and I actually recognise the author. So, let's get that one."

"Yeah," Rory looked down wantonly at the books in her arm.

Lorelai chuckled at the expression, she had seen it many, many times with Rory. "Or lets just get all three. Come on Gimme. I want to get coffee and do something that is actually fun for me."

"Really, all three?"

"I said didn't I," Lorelai snatched the books and peered at the covers. "Now let's go pay," she strode away before Rory had a chance to add any more books to the pile. Mercifully the line was short. Just as she reached the counter a tote bag caught her eye and she grinned. "Can I get that also," she pointed the bag out to the clerk. "Very fitting for that one I think," She thumbed over her finger in Rory's general direction while the clerk ran through the transaction. Payment approved Lorelai took her receipt and then made her way over to Rory who was studying a display. "No more books Nerd," Lorelai thrust the white canvas bag at Rory and looped her arm around Rory's waist to give her easier leverage to get Rory out of the store.

"What's with the harshness there lady?" Rory protested, her body stiff and reluctant to leave.

"The reader who doesn't read. Check the bag," Lorelai nodded at the tote. She hauled the door open and pushed at Rory to exit. Rory instead paused to look at the bag which bore a red open book under which were the words Book Nerd. "I thought it was truthful," Lorelai explained, pushing Rory again to get her to move. "Come on out."

"You know you are evicting me from my natural habitat," Rory finally walked out of the store. "But thank you for my books."

"You're welcome," Lorelai fell into step with Rory. "Now lets go find something fun to do."

* * *

 **xXx**

"What about that?" Rory asked pointing at the window display. She turned her attention to her mother. Lorelai was stood her head tipped to the side studying the jacket on the mannequin with an expert critical eye. "It would look great on you."

"It would have looked great on me ten years ago," Lorelai straightened her head and then took a mouthful of the hot dog with everything on that they had grabbed for their lunch. "I need simple silhouettes these days, not stuff that was straps and belts and weird zipper things. Might suit you though."

"Where would I wear it?" Rory asked looking back at the peach leather jacket in the window which she frankly thought screamed her Mom.

"Where would I wear it?" Lorelai retorted. She took a side step and studied the next mannequin, "This is more me. I could wear it for when we have weddings and conferences."

Rory stepped alongside Lorelai and studied the outfit. Cropped grey pants, some gorgeous baby blue high heeled shoes, a strangely shapeless but worked shapeless white top and a tailored grey jacket, with detail that matched the colour of the shoes. "At the very least you have to get the jacket and shoes."

"I dunno doll, they'll probably be pricey but I wanna try them," Lorelai inelegantly shoved the remainder of her hotdog into her mouth, chewed a few times and then laboriously swallowed. "We need to shop for you as well. You are not just getting books"

Rory shrugged and allowed Lorelai to loop her arm around her. Together they walked into the store and were immediately greeted by an overly smiley employee. "Hi. We want that look," Rory pointed over to the window and the mannequin with the look that Lorelai liked.

"Of course, it's over there, do you need assistance?" The young woman looked almost relieved to actually have someone speak to her.

"No thank you we're good for now," Lorelai told her, "but we'll ask if we need anything."

"Thank you," Rory called as Lorelai dragged her through the store to where they had been directed. Lorelai released her grip and Rory took a side step to try and stop the momentum she had gained. She paused at a dress the rack over. A pretty floral dress, grown up but still youthful. She rifled through the rack and found her size. She studied the dress again and then held it out to show her Mom. "What do you think?" she smiled as Lorelai made a trill of excitement. "That good?"

"You will look beautiful in that Babe." Lorelai fumbled with the suit in her arms. "I'm not gonna get the shirt I have a couple of blousy things I can wear, but I want to see the heels. Ooh," she pointed insistently, "over there. I spy shoes."

Rory followed, casually picking up a t-shirt and skirt as she moved over. She peered at the rack of shoes and selected the ones she through went with the dress and sat down to try them on. Lorelai sat beside her the blue shoes in hand. "They are cute Mom."

"I know," Lorelai nodded excitedly slipping the shoes on.

Rory grinned as Lorelai lifted her legs up, holding them in front of her to view the shoes in place. Quickly she pushed her own feet into the shoes she was trying and then copied her Mom, holding her legs out straight, her legs just a fraction shorter Lorelai's. Rory remembered holding her legs out in imitation when she was tiny and they used to go window shopping so Lorelai could try on shoes she had no hope of affording. "You gonna get them?"

"Yeah," Lorelai lowered her legs and then removed one to look at the price. "Ho-oh-lee! Check the price Babe." She gave Rory a pointed look. "I can copy the suit but I can't cobble shoes together. No magic elves secretly making amazing shoes for me at home, unfortunately. The curse of liking nice things."

Rory lowered her legs and cast a quick look at the price tags on the clothes she had picked up. They were what she would consider average for this type of shop. More expensive than some but certainly reasonable for the level of brand. Removing the shoe she looked at the sticker on the bottom. Again something that she would expect. She glanced sideways at Lorelai who was staring intently at the suit jacket obviously trying to figure out where everything went. "Mom?"

"Rory?" Lorelai didn't look up instead turning the jacket inside out clearly mapping dart positions in her head.

"Are you and Luke OK financially?"

"What?" Lorelai dropped the jacket to her lap and stared at her in surprise. "We're fine."

"Really? I mean the prices aren't that high in here," Rory gestured to the price tag.

"No, they're not," Lorelai agreed, "just my funds are a little low and I booked the hotel and whatnot."

"Your funds?" Rory stared at her curiously. It had been a while since she had seen her mother worried about money. She personally never had to worry about money. Her grandparents had given her and Spencer the house as a wedding present so they had no mortgage. Spencer had paid off his student loan, which again thanks to her grandparents she had none and they both had decent enough incomes not to mention her inheritance from Francine and the money Gigi received as part of her annual stipend. It was the one thing she never had to worry about. She frowned as Lorelai hesitated. "Mom?"

"It's all fine," Lorelai waved her hand dismissively. "Just how we set things up. We both keep 20% of what we earn for ourselves so we can buy things for ourselves or buy gifts for people. There just hasn't been a whole lot for me the past year or so with the not working full time and the Inn needing refurbishment work. Plus with Sookie out these past few months I've had to take a little hit. I'm just short my mad money," she shrugged dismissively again. "I can live without a suit."

"I could get it for you," Rory offered. "You clearly like it and I'm sure it would look great on you."

"No Babe, I don't need it. I can get the lovely blue shoes, a bolt of cloth is way cheaper." Lorelai smiled uneasily. "I really don't need it. But you need to try those on because you do need it."

Rory looked at Lorelai warily, when there was no zingy comeback it meant she had either embarrassed or annoyed her Mom, perhaps both. She tried to smile. "Sure?"

"Sure," Lorelai stood up and nodded towards the changing rooms without making eye contact.

"Ok," Rory followed studying Lorelai's shoulders, they were ramrod straight and barely moving, "but try it on, the jacket at least. Early birthday present?"

"Don't love it that much," Lorelai set the suit on the rail of discarded try ons and then nodded to the empty changing cubicle. "Get in there Missy."

Rory slipped passed her and set her choices on the peg inside. Taking a deep breath she took the plunge, she'd already annoyed her Mom may as well go in full tilt. "Have you spoken to Sookie?" she called through the curtain.

"I've tried but I can't get hold of her, or Jackson. I don't know what is going on with them. Their phones just don't seem to work." Lorelai's voice came muffled through the curtain. "We're just ticking on as we have been until we hear from her."

Rory scanned her reflection in the mirror. The dress looked gorgeous and she opened the curtain to show her Mom. She waited for Lorelai to finish with her usual level of praise before speaking again "So what about your mad money? It's not fair you take the hit because Sookie's vanished into the Bermuda Triangle."

"It's what we agreed," Lorelai shrugged again, and looked down at her feet.

"For 6 weeks, you're past that now," Rory pointed out, she scanned the changing room for a moment. "Do you have her address?"

"I have an address."

"Write to her, official stationary, give her notice that you are reverting to what you were doing before she went away because she is in breach of your agreement. Tough love Mom. She's taking advantage, and you are missing out. It's not fair," Rory tried to catch Lorelai's eye. "Don't be cranky at me. I'm only trying to help."

"I'm not being cranky at you," Lorelai smiled, though it didn't fully reach her eyes.

"Yes you are. Now I'm gonna try on the skirt and t-shirt and then we can go get ice-cream."

"That's more like it," Lorelai's smile warmed properly. "There's my girl. Ice cream in 60 degree weather."

Rory shrugged with a smile. "I learned from the best."

* * *

 **xXx**

The sound of a toilet flushing behind her head woke her. For a moment she lay in the bed disorientated before she remembered where she was. Her body was aching. A day of pounding the pavement in search of something to buy had her legs and shoulders aching while the rest of her just felt out of sorts, probably down to the fact that all she had eaten yesterday was junk. Slowly Lorelai rolled onto her side and heaved herself into a sitting position. The hotel room alarm clock told her it was 8 am. She couldn't remember the last time she had got to lie in to 8am.

"Morning Mom."

Rory came out of the bathroom looking frustratingly chipper. Lorelai cleared her throat. "Morning."

Rory glanced up from her bag with an amused smile. "Jeez Mom we only had one drink last night."

"I don't think it's the alcohol," Lorelai rubbed her stomach with a grumble. "I think it's the junk. What has he done to me."

Rory laughed and flopped onto her bed. "Luke has got you into a healthy eating pattern."

"The swine," Lorelai muttered good-naturedly and moved over to the desk where her toiletries lay in front of the mirror. She peered at her reflection for a moment, then took two steps back and flopped dramatically backwards onto the bed. "Cover it before I crack it."

"Sounds like someone is need of a pep."

"I need to pin everything back into place. Has a weekend of junk has done this to me or do I always look this bad?" Lorelai gently fingered her face. It didn't feel any different to usual under her fingertips but inside it felt puffy and itchy.

"Oh My God. Dramatic Party of One. You have never looked bad. Where has the confidence fairy gone?" Rory asked slumping onto Lorelai's bed and poking her in her ribs.

"I have looked bad plenty of times. But they were usually fashion choices, not you know." Lorelai shrugged, trying to shrug off the fact that she had let Rory in on something she didn't really feel like sharing with anyone. Luke was the only person she had let in on her fears about aging, simply because he didn't seem to care. He still looked at her the same way he had always looked at her and when he caught her looking in the mirror a little bit too intently he just gave her that soft smile she liked and would walk past her and give her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"You know, what?"

Rory's voice sounded as narrow as Lorelai imagined her eyes to be and slowly Lorelai rolled up to look at her daughter. Rory was studying her like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. "Nothing, just me being dumb." Lorelai sat up and stretched, her neck jarred slightly. She gasped in pain. Two nights away in a strange bed without Luke to position herself around had put her back out of whack.

"Sure?" Rory sat up and peered at her seriously.

"Absolutely," Lorelai pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled. "Just clocks and what not. I'm an old married person who is used to her own bed. You'll see when you hit ten years with Spencer."

"Oh yeah," Rory's face brightened. "It's you and Luke's tenth wedding anniversary this year."

"Uh huh," Lorelai scrunched her shoulders excitedly, pleased that she seemed to have skipped the Spanish inquisition from Rory. "Crazy isn't it? Crazy how dumb we were before it as well," she shook her head. "I think I need water."

"Oh boy," Rory snorted in amusement. "Those ten years have done a number on you haven't they."

"I'm not sure if it is worth it or not," Lorelai pulled herself into a sitting position. "Hmm it is I think." She frowned at Rory's neat case. "Are you packed already?"

"Mostly," Rory stood up and moved to the side table where she grabbed her book and then threw it in the bag. "I was up and I wanted to let you sleep and I needed to do it so I did."

"Weirdo," Lorelai rolled her eyes and stared at her own case, messily upended last night in a search for a top that she hadn't been able to find even though she swore she had packed it. "It's Sunday Lie In Day. Trust me when you have that option you take it. Even 8am is an late lie in these days."

"Well we're both awake now. Wanna go find a diner to get breakfast or are we going to suffer the continental rubbish they serve here again?" Rory moved to the kettle and set it boiling. "Coffee will be done in a few. Once we're dressed we can go find some proper coffee. I doubt they'll have it in the spa."

"Maybe the massage will help me with the yeaugh feeling. I have to get myself together or I will never hear the end of it from Luke. He will be Mr Gloaty and then make me eat super healthy for a month." She shivered in disgust.

"I'm hoping it doesn't put me to sleep." Rory lifted the small kettle and began to make coffee as best she could with the limited provisions left by the hotel. "I have a whole bunch of work to do on the train."

"Babes, it's a holiday." Lorelai padded over to her and took a cup of coffee. She sniffed it with an air of disgust, this coffee was bargain basement sludge. "You shouldn't work on your holiday."

"I'm not, just on the travelling so I don't get bored. Besides I got deadlines coming super quick because my bonehead boss is a bonehead and Lane and I usually call each other on Sunday and I want to be available for that and not all distracted because I'm working on the bonehead's work." Rory sighed sadly before grimacing at the taste of the coffee. "This tastes worse than yesterday."

"Agreed," Lorelai abandoned her cup. "I'm gonna dress super speedy, we'll get a coffee fromn across the street, then go find a diner, pancake it up and then be back here to get rubbed and scrubbed."

* * *

 **xXx**

"That woman is a magician, and possibly a lesbian," Lorelai sank onto the wooden bench in the changing room of the spa.

"What?" Rory asked moving to her locker and peering at her curiously.

"No woman that good with their hands is straight. She is experienced in the finest of arts," Lorelai threw her key at Rory. "Sheer and utter bliss. I almost wish she…"

"Don't, finish that sentence, it's going to be gross," Rory grimaced, she opened Lorelai's locker and looked at it. "What do you need?"

"Cell. Luke was dropping the kids off at the grandparents for round 2. Apparently they had such a great time at the museum they want to go back again because they didn't get to finish it." Lorelai held out her hand.

"See I told you, museums are fun," Rory found the cell and handed it over. "Are you expecting calls?"

"No but Mom has a habit of sending me updates. Usually on Kitty's cheekiness which is somehow fine because she's the granddaughter as opposed to the daughter. Oh see," Lorelai held up her phone to show Rory. "Ten messages. The kids look dishevelled, she's had to do their hair again. Luke loses a Dad point. Something about does Sam have a particular dinosaur book. Like he needs more. Grace should take ballet lessons, her turnout," Lorelai shrugged through lack of understanding, "is excellent." She gave a squeak as the phone beeped. "Can they have French fries? Mom is allowing them French fries."

"Has Grandma ever had a French fry?" Rory opened her eyes wide in amusement.

"I dunno, let's find out," Lorelai pressed the number for Emily and waited for the call to connect. "Hey Mom… No we just finished. I was reading your messages. Is that Grace? Put me on speaker… There should be a button that looks…no that's the number pad. Mom give the phone to Kitty or Willow they will be able to do it," Lorelai rolled her eyes at Emily's lack of technological knowledge. "Hey Honeybunch. No put me on speaker so we can all talk… Yeah I'm here with Rory. Wait…Willow," Lorelai lifted the phone away from her ear and stared at it. "She cut me off!"

"How rude, why she do that?" Rory moved a step closer. The screen lit up and she cooed in understanding. "Oh Facetime."

"Atta girl," Lorelai patted the bench beside her and connected the call. "Clever girl Willow."

"Hi Mommy," Willow's excited but slightly fuzzy face illuminated the screen. "One sec. Sam come here."

Lorelai grinned as the videocall spun widely as Willow evidently sorted the family at the other end into a suitable arrangement. Finally the picture stopped moving and the faces of the four kids were crushed together. "Hi everyone,"

"Hi Mommy, Hi Rory," the children called excitedly.

"We're at the museum," Willow explained needlessly. "Are you coming home soon?"

"Rory and I have just finished so we're going to get some lunch and then we will get the train home," Lorelai explained. "Where's Grace going?"

"To get Grandpa," Kitty shoved to the centre. "He reads ALL the signs, it takes forever. He's worse than Sam with the dinosaurs."

"Dinosaurs are cool," Sam pouted and then shoved into the centre, "I talked to a palentologist Mommy. I wanna be one."

"Wow that's so cool," Lorelai grinned at the little boy's excitement. "Is Grandma there? She wanted to ask me something."

"Yeah,"

One of the twins grabbed the phone and the image whirled with movement before Emily appeared on screen, filmed from below.

"Woah there Mom, angle correct. You're recreating the Blair Witch Project here," Lorelai smirked with a side of grimace as they got a rather excellent shot up Emily's nose.

"Is that better?" Emily asked clearly having taken the phone from the twins to hold it out.

"Much."

"Hello Rory Dear," Emily beamed at the sight of Rory.

"Hi Grandma," Rory waved, "sounds like you guys are having fun."

The pair of them stifled a smile as Emily's face momentarily flickered, oscillating between exhaustion, worry and contentment. "Them kids got energy in spades huh?" Lorelai chuckled. "Re the French fries. Get a side order they can share. Luke doesn't like them having too many."

"Alright," Emily nodded. "You're still planning to collect the children for 5.30?"

"My train should get in at just past 5. So as long as there aren't any delays yes, about 5.30." Lorelai nodded. "We'll get them out of your hair don't worry."

"You're not staying for dinner?" Emily's face looked momentarily crestfallen. "We didn't see you much on Friday afternoon."

"Only because you shoved me out the door," Lorelai forced herself to keep her eyes from rolling. "Let's see how we all feel."

Emily glanced down to the left, clearly looking at the children. "Yes that's wise. We'll see you at around 5.30. Rory we'll see you in a few weeks. Have a safe journey."

"Thanks Mom."

"Thanks Grandma."

Emily nodded and then lowered the phone. "Willow how do…"

Lorelai smirked as the phone displayed call ended. "I gotta teach them some phone etiquette."

"Yeah," Rory reached for her shirt and began to awkwardly pull it over the top of the fluffy white robes she was wearing. With great difficulty she pulled her arms out of the robe and wriggled it down to her waist.

"What was that?" Lorelai's grinned at her, her eyes bright with mocking. "Babe I have seen it all before in absolute detail. Number one diaper changer remember?"

Rory blushed and elbowed Lorelai in mild annoyance. "The last time you saw me fully naked I was 10. I don't like changing rooms."

"Well I get that, ladies get too sharing happy in some places but you don't have to worry about me Babe," Lorelai smoothed Rory's hair out of her face.

"I know," Rory shrugged and stood up so she could pull on her pants. "If we are going to get lunch, we need to get moving my train is in 90 minutes."

"No!" Lorelai scowled and looked at the screen on her phone. "Not enough time. I demand a recount!"

"I know," Rory let the robe fall to the floor. "But speed up. You can be dramatic at lunch."

"Well obviously a dramatic lunch goes without saying," Lorelai stood up and took one step towards her locker. She paused and turned back to Rory. "I don't want this weekend to end."

"Me neither," Rory admitted and took a step towards Lorelai. "We need to make this a regular thing."

"Definitely," Lorelai closed the gap and encased Rory in a fierce hug. "Like clockwork. Mommy and Me weekends twice a year."

"I'll plan the next one on my trip home."

"What about your deadline," Lorelai asked slightly loosening her grip.

"This is more important," Rory took a step back. "I don't get enough time with you. Us spending time together is way more important than stupid work."

"I agree," Lorelai nodded with a smile on her lips, "and now we have something to talk about instead of why Emily will see you in a few weeks. That sounded very specific."

"Oi," Rory flopped down onto the bench. "Get dressed woman. Don't undo all those ladies hard work."

"Got to leave something to Luke."

"Ew! Gross!"


	14. Cash Flow and Other Woes

**AN - THanks guys, I miss just the two of them so I just had to get it in. Glad you liked it :) And Onwards. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 14 – Cash flow and other woes**

"Luke's."

"Luke?"

"Hey Jess," Luke readjusted the phone between his ear and shoulder. "Everything OK?" He frowned as there was a slightly longer than normal pause. "Jess, it's kind of busy right now. Can I call you back in an hour when I get home. Can it wait till then? I can give you my full ish attention."

"It can wait. Talk later."

Luke stared at the handset with concern as he set it back in the cradle on the wall. For Jess to call him at work meant that something was wrong. That it could wait meant no one was hurt or sick which was one less thing to worry, but it was possible it was something to do with Liz. She and TJ had been living near Pittsburgh for four months and from what he could gather from Jess she had made the effort to visit him once a month. That was probably more then she had managed in the last four years. Hoping it was all it was he went about cleaning away the afternoon mess and got ready for the early dinner crowd. "I'm gonna get Kitty, be back about 8," he called into the kitchen. Ceser raised his head to acknowledge him but said nothing. It was the same every day, what was there to say? Moving out of the fairly busy diner he crossed the street to join the parents awaiting the end of Kitty's gymnastic class at Miss Patty's. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. The Moms of Stars Hollow had long since given up trying to talk with him. When he came to the events Miss Patty threw, they nearly all ignored him in favour of Lorelai who with her omnipresent ability to talk to anyone usually held court, though often she was busy throwing shade in cryptic references that none of the identikit moms got. Probably why they all thought she was hilarious. He turned his thoughts to what could be going on with Jess and what he was about to walk into at home. Lorelai, since her return from her weekend with Rory 3 weeks ago, had been out of sorts. She had assured him everything was fine but he had seen her scribbling away things on Dragonfly stationary each night only to find the paper balled up in the trash the next morning. He hadn't opened it to look. Lorelai would tell him when she was ready but he was concerned.

"Hi Daddy," Kitty flipped over the side of the steps, landed perfectly to raise her arms above her head and then cartwheeled over to him.

Thoughts about sticky hands and the actual danger of what she had just done flitted across his tongue but he kept silent instead allowing his raised browed expression to do the talking. Kitty gave a proud smile accompanied by soft shrug. "I'll wash my hands soon as I'm home," she wiped her hands across the back of her leotard. "What are we eating tonight Daddy?"

"I did a casserole last night, just got to heat it up," Luke told her turning to walk alongside her towards his truck.

"What kind of casserole?" Kitty asked taking two steps to each of his but keeping pace.

"Chicken."

"OK," Kitty shrugged dismissively. "Can I climb through the back window?"

"No," Luke shook his head and guided her to the passenger door. "In ya get."

"Can we have pie?" Kitty asked scrambling into the seat.

"We've got jello cups. Sam's turn to pick this week and he wanted jello," Luke closed the door and walked round to the driver side. Kitty was staring at him in annoyance. "It's his turn Kits,"

"He's five Daddy. He always picks wrong. He picked fruit last time. Just fruit all on its own, no pastry. How is that dessert?" She rolled her eyes in dismay. "Boys are dumb!"

"We can be," Luke agreed and began to drive towards home. He silently listened as Kitty did her best Lorelai impression, railing against the injustice of having to eat jello cups and how stupid the boys were when it came to desserts and in no time at all they were home.

"At least at Grandma and Grandpa's house we'll get proper dessert," Kitty stated as she dropped out of the truck. "Think Grandma'll do that pavoa crispy cream thing if I ask her?"

"Pavlova?" Luke asked trying to guess what Kitty could be referring to. "I dunno, but not this week, Grandma and Grandpa are away this week remember. We don't have Friday Night Dinner."

"Oh yeah," Kitty paused at the base of the steps. "I'll ask her for when she's back."

"Ask her if she had a good holiday first," Luke opened the front door for her and ushered her inside.

"I'm not Mommy Daddy. I know these things," Kitty shot him a mildly disapproving look.

"What don't I know?" Lorelai asked walking past with a pile of toys which had made their way into the living room.

"To ask about holiday before dessert," Kitty explained.

Lorelai deposited the toys in the backroom and turned to look at them. She gave Kitty a cheeky smile and walked back over to them. "You are much better trained then I am." She kissed Kitty on the forehead and unleashed Kitty's hair from her tight bun. "Go play for a bit." She watched Kitty run up the stairs before turning to look at Luke. "Hi."

"Hi." Luke smiled at her. He tipped his head to one side and studied her. She had the crease in her brow that meant something was puzzling her and she wasn't sure what to do. "Good Day?"

"Hmm," she let a low grumble and looked up the stairs. "Our youngest children are my parents. Grace was doing a full blown bossy Emily impression and Sam just stuck his nose in a book. Then Willow came home in tears because someone told her Dobby died," she shrugged in bemusement. "I think it's a character in Harry Potter but I can't keep straight what she's reading these days. Anyway, she wants all the odd socks to leave as tribute for the house elves."

"The what?" Luke raised his eyebrows in confusion. He ushered her into the kitchen "You preheated the oven."

"Yes," Lorelai nodded resting her hip against the counter. "I can manage that part. It's on the list. It means we eat sooner. I have no idea about house elves. Also Jess called looking for you. He sounded tense."

"Yeah, he called the diner," Luke pushed the casserole into the oven and closed the door. "Mind if I call him now? This will take ten minutes to warm through."

"Go ahead," Lorelai moved over to the house phone which was sat on a pile of papers. "Oh and April called to say you had said it was OK that she and a friend stay the weekend in case you forgot."

"Oh yeah," Luke began to dial Jess' number. "She's going to a concert in Hartford with Rose, the one that looked a bit like you that was with her in January."

"She didn't look like me," Lorelai's brow creased in confusion. "I mean other than the fact we are both female and have long dark hair," she fiddled with her hair piled on top of her head.

"I said a bit," Luke turned as the call connected. "Hey Jess." He listened patiently to Jess before turning to Lorelai. "Hang on a second. Can I make this so you can hear too?"

"Yeah," Lorelai extracted the phone from him and hit a few buttons. "Everything OK?"

"Building is being sold. New tenant rules" Luke told her.

"Ugh. Hi Jess," Lorelai set the handset on the counter.

"Lorelai," Jess' terse reply sounded.

"They sold your building? Why do you have to move?" Lorelai got the conversation going.

"It's gone co-op. New rules." Jess mumbled. "Because the apartment is only a one bed we shouldn't be here because Hinton isn't a baby. Some dumb occupancy rules. They're pulling a load of crap. It's too much of a hassle. They don't want us here, so we don't want to stay."

Luke smiled as Lorelai leaned against him and wrapped her arm around him. "You need to borrow some money?"

"I hate to ask, it's just cash flow with the deposit for somewhere else and everything we can't just swing it." Jess said in a low voice. "I'll pay you back."

"I know you will, but only when you can. Let me know how much you need. I'll do a transfer at the bank," Luke offered quickly. He glanced at Lorelai as he felt her grip tighten slightly. "Just let me know."

"Thanks guys. I'll let you know as soon as we find a place. Bye."

Luke pressed the red button on the phone and then looked back at Lorelai. "You OK? You're OK with me sending Jess money?"

"Of course I am." Lorelai fiddled with her messy bun again. She opened her mouth to say something but whatever she was about to say got lost in thundering feet coming down the stairs. "I'll go sort hands."

"Sure," Luke watched her go, his own brow creasing as he tried to figure out this puzzle.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai stared at the draft of the letter she was going to send to Sookie. She couldn't even count how many times she had started to write this letter over the last few weeks only to ball it up and throw it away. Tough love was easier in person, she could couch it in witty references and offer smiles. On paper it all looked so formal. It all looked so harsh. She looked up as the front door opened and Luke slipped inside. She forced her smile to a brighter level, taking in the concerned look he gave her. Silently she beckoned him over. He didn't say anything, instead he sat in the chair beside her and took the pad she slid across to him. Half holding her breathe in anticipation to his reaction she rested her feet on the spindle of the chair and watched him. She chewed her lip as she watched his shoulders tense, the direction of his eyes telling her that he had reached the beginning of the crux of the letter. His shoulders got higher towards his ears with each line. Then he huffed in frustration.

"Jeez Lorelai," he threw the pad down on the table.

"Too harsh?" Lorelai asked inching her chair closer to his.

"Not harsh enough," Luke scowled at her. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"I figured she would be back by now. She was supposed to be gone 6 weeks, not… whatever it is now. Coming up 16 weeks. I also didn't know exactly how much the repair work was all going to cost. We have to do these things, fire codes and dumb Taylor town ordinance stuff. Plus, we can't charge what we charge if things look gross shabby not shabby chic," she sat backwards slightly. "Why does everything cost $5000? It used to just be $4000 though that was bad enough. I wanted to do it without getting any more credit from the bank. It's so much harder to get these days, I need to buy paint doesn't seem to cut it."

"You've not taken a salary from the Inn this year so far." Luke stared at her. "Why didn't you say?"

"I have savings, had savings, enough to cover the bills at least. I needed the cash flow available for the Inn," she smiled awkwardly. She and Luke had never really had to worry about money during their marriage, they'd had the odd conversation every so often but everything had slotted together quite nicely and with help from her parents with school tuitions she had always had more than enough money left over for fabric, treats for herself and the kids and silly junk. It had been a long time since she had seen her bank balance move into 3 digits and now it was closing in on 2 digits. At least she was still in the black.

"You should have said," Luke reiterated he reached for the pad and scanned it once more. "Is this what you've been working on for the last few weeks?"

"Well I had to do the math first," Lorelai nodded towards the spreadsheet print out she had on the table. She sensed his hesitation and nodded. "You can look."

He took them and silently viewed the figures "Everything is still profitable?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded. "Profit margin is only 1% though but with the renovations going on. Summer is coming were at capacity and because it all looks nice we can legitimately justify they slight increase in prices. We should be at 5% by end of June," it was her turn to tip her head and she scanned his profile. He was clearly annoyed. "I wasn't keeping it from you. I just didn't…I thought she would be back."

"I know," he reached and squeezed her knee. He set the print outs down and looked at her out of the top of his eyes. "We're fine, the joint fund is flush. I'll cover the Jess loan. I'll cover everything for now. I have more than enough in my account. Have you got anything?"

"Way to rub it in Mr Getty," Lorelai toed his calf with a smile. "I have some, not a huge amount hence you will note the birthday list on the other piece of paper. The only time I will accept you buying me face cream as a birthday gift."

"Lorelai," he frowned. "I should be buying you stupid frilly things for your birthday. Junk you don't need that I can rant over. Not stuff you need."

"I don't need that brand. There are cheaper ones," Lorelai shuffled closer. She rested her chin on his shoulder. "So you think tonally it's OK? Rory said tough love."

"It's tonally right. It's fair. She comes back as per agreed and gets paid her salary for the hours she does or she doesn't come back and she doesn't get anything unless you earn over the 8% profit margin as per your agreement last year which was set for three years. It's fair Lorelai." He tipped his head. "You officially work ten hours a week. Why haven't you taken that salary?"

Lorelai looked down at her hands and shifted awkwardly. "I was going to but bills came up and it just seemed easier to forgo for a couple months to keep the cashflow available. I could manage, but my blow out weekend with Rory meant I can't anymore. I wasn't going to miss out on that."

"You're not going to miss out on anything," Luke frowned. "Get it typed up and sent tomorrow."

"Yes Sir," Lorelai smiled softly at him. She slowly stood and kissed his forehead. "Gotta earn some dough you need a new hat," she pulled the worn blue hat from his head and studied it. It was faded and specked with what she thought was grease from the diner. "This is gross."

"It's not gross." Luke snatched it back and set it back on his head. "It's fine."

"It's old and icky," Lorelai pulled the hat off again. She ran her finger across the brim. "I will get you another hat. Any preference on colour."

"I don't need a new hat."

"You do," Lorelai set the cap on the table. She sank slowly onto his knees and wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his around her waist. "You've worn it near enough every day for the past 14 years. Some things you are allowed to let go. Some things you're never allowed to let go of," she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I plan on being one of those couples. The ones who die within hours of each other when they are like 90, that make you go aww in the news."

"Good thing I feed you vegetables then."

"I suppose," Lorelai pressed another kiss to his lips. She straightened and sat back, resting against his strong arms. "I just like that you feed me."

"Always have always will."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Ring it again Richard," Emily instructed. She peered over her shoulder checking that they weren't being watched but in the leafy Baltimore suburb there was no one to be seen. She turned around with alarm at a clattering sound coming from inside the house. Before the had a chance to worry Gigi opened the door looking frustrated. "Hello Gigi."

"Hi," Gigi took a step back and waved them into the house. The twelve-year-old looked up the stairs for a moment and then finally fixed a smile on her face. "How was your trip?"

"The trip was fine thank you Gigi," Richard lowered their cases to the ground. "Are you home alone?"

"I may well as be," Gigi rolled her eyes her tone weary and sounding like it should belong to someone much older than she was. "Dad's at work, their experiment is time sensitive and they have to let it run its course. Mom is upstairs…" Gigi censored herself for a moment. "She'll be done in a moment."

"I see," Richard glanced at Emily.

Emily listened beyond the confines of the hall. There was more clattering coming from upstairs, the sound of Rory hurrying about.

"You want something to drink?" Gigi stepped towards the kitchen. There was a pile of books, coloured pencils and a tablet computer on the table. "Sorry about the mess. I have a geography project I'm working on," Gigi waved her arms dismissively at the books. "You want one of Mom's coffees?" she pointed at a rather complicated coffee machine. "Or there is instant. The pods are nicer though."

"Pods?" Emily asked, glancing up at the ceiling at the sound of a thud.

"Pods," Gigi explained walking over to a black box and opening it to show them a series of small capsules in a variety of colours. "You pick one and it makes coffee. I'm not sure what each one is. I like those ones. They are caramel, and that one is chocolate. The others are regular coffee I think, but I don't like them, too bitter. Mom likes that one," she pointed to a purple capsule.

"Well you are only 12," Richard glanced towards the ceiling as yet another thud sounded above them. "Is Rory alright?"

Gigi let out another world weary sigh. "She forgot about the bed. Auntie Paris was down here with her family last weekend because she had a conference and they stayed. Mom didn't change the sheets because she had too much work and she forgot coz Auntie Paris tired her out, she talks a lot and very fast. Even more then Auntie Glama."

"Auntie Glama?" Richard looked at the child in confusion.

"It's Gigi's name for Lorelai, Richard," Emily frowned at him.

"She said she was too young to be Grandma," Gigi shrugged. "So you want one?" She lifted the box giving it a shake for good measure.

"I am fine for now," Emily told the child with a smile. "I think I will go give Rory a hand."

"Ok," Gigi shrugged. "It's the spare room."

Emily nodded and left Gigi and Richard discussing coffee pods. Slowly, she headed up the stairs. She and Richard had only been to the house once before, it had been the weekend after the family had moved in and there had been boxes everywhere. Today it didn't look much tidier. There was laundry and books in piles outside rooms. Dead leaves on the floor from plants. It was the house of someone with not enough time. The house of someone who needed a maid. She paused outside the spare bedroom door. The doorway was blocked by a pile of dirty linen, and Rory stood at the end of the bed furiously trying to tuck the under sheet into place. "Do y…" Rory jumped a full foot in the air. "I'm sorry Sweetheart I didn't mean to scare you."

"Grandma," Rory's face blushed beet red. "Hi, I'm so sorry. Time ran away with me. I have this crazy dea…Hi! How are you?" Rory dropped the sheet and walked to the door. She kicked the dirty linen to one side and then gave Emily a fierce hug. "How was the trip?"

"It was fine thank you," Emily held her granddaughter tightly. She could feel the tremble in Rory's breath, the nervous energy rising off of her. "How are you?"

"Oh," Rory blushed again. "Busy. I was going to have this all ready but work. If you give me five minutes I can have it perfect for you."

"We can do it together," Emily moved towards the bed. "I am rather good at making beds. And then we can get downstairs and have one of these coffees Gigi was telling us about. Coffee in pods whatever will the think of next."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai gave a soft yelp as Sam raced in front of her, nearly causing her to slip down the last few steps. "Slow down Little Man," Lorelai called after him. "Where's the fire?"

Sam paused midway up the stairs and turned to look at her, his little face twisted in confusion. "There is no fire Mommy. I just gotta brush my hair," he resumed his rapid pace up the staircase.

"Brush your hair?" Lorelai stared after him confusion. Sam never brushed his hair on his own accord. He only consented to a combing when it was wet and the minute there was a snag he would twist and turn his head away making any further combing impossible. Confused she made her way into the kitchen. The twins were sat at the kitchen table working on their homework. "What did you two do to your brother? He's going to brush his hair."

"I dunno, he was looking out the window and then he muttered something about the pretty lady and then he ran," Kitty shrugged without looking up from her workbook.

Willow lifted her head with an air of disinterest to look out the window and then gasped. "April!"

"Yeah?" Lorelai moved to the window. Sure enough April's blue hatchback sat in the driveway, the trunk was open and April and her friend Rose were stood getting out their bags.

"Well April wouldn't make Sam want to brush his hair," Kitty mumbled. "Boys don't think sisters are pretty."

"Sam has very pretty sisters." Lorelai watched April for a moment, she had reached to close the trunk and Rose had touched April's arm in a way that Lorelai read as slightly more then just friendship. "Hmm," she turned away giving the young women some privacy. "I think your brother and sister just have the same taste."

"They both like science," Willow agreed. "Scuse me please Mommy." Willow shoved past Lorelai to go to the door.

Looking down at the laundry in her hands Lorelai made the momentary decision to not drop it on the floor and instead rushed over to chuck it chaotically into the laundry room. Luke would probably grumble at her about messing up the piles but hopefully the visiting daughter would be enough to prevent his mood being too sour. By the time she had closed the door on the mountains of dirty laundry April had made it to the front door and was being greeted by the twins. "Hey Apricot," Lorelai scurried over and held her arms out, getting a hug the moment that Kitty stepped away. "Guessing no traffic?"

"We left early, we were both up. That's OK right?" April's brow creased.

"More then Ok, but Dad was going to come home for when he thought you would be home so he's not about for a little while. You'll have to put up with just us," Lorelai smiled at her. "Hi Rose."

"Hi Mrs Danes."

"Gilmore-Danes," Kitty and Willow sounded in unison.

"Lorelai," Lorelai tugged the twins back slightly, "and if one name has to get missed off the Gilmore is better. Mrs Gilmore is my mother," she gave an over exaggerated shudder. "You guys want something to eat or drink? Luke went shopping, we actually have stuff."

"We got strawberries and oranges," Willow beamed. "I like those but Grace and Sam always eat them coz they are here all the time."

"Well first come first serve," Lorelai ushered the twins into the kitchen. "So you want first serve?"

"We're fine, we got something to eat on the drive down." April followed them.

"So it's a band you guys are going to see?" Lorelai asked moving over to the coffee pot to make herself a coffee.

"Er Mommy," Kitty fixed Lorelai with a frustrated stare. "April wasn't here last week, she missed our birthday."

"We didn't save you cake," Willow apologised. "Mommy said it would go stale."

"So you just had to eat it," April smirked.

"Yes. But," Lorelai walked over to the fridge to extract a Weston's bakery voucher. "There is prepaid amount for you to get some cake, or whatever from there in honour of the twins' birthday, your birthday and my birthday," She held it out to April. "I would very much recommend the chocolate praline honeycomb cake. It is so delicious I seriously considered divorcing your Dad to marry it."

"Busy month for birthdays," Rose sat next to Kitty. She smiled at the nine year old.

Lorelai watched as the nine year old flicked her eyes up and down the young woman, studying her curiously. She stifled a smile as Kitty's mouth formed into a small oh of understanding. When Kitty closed her mouth, she turned her head to looked at her for silent confirmation. Lorelai nodded and Kitty finally smiled at Rose. Kitty's emotional intelligence and ability to intuit what was going on, astounded Lorelai some times. The kids all had it to a point, but Kitty was way out there in ability. Lorelai wondered if that was the gift they had inherited from Luke's mother. According to Maisy and Miss Patty the elder Kitty had always known what was going on, and had been the fount of all knowledge when it came to town goings on.

"But more importantly than cake," April reached into her bag and lifted out two gifts wrapped in bright orange paper which the twins snatched excitedly. "Presents."

Lorelai moved over to join the table sitting beside Willow as the child opened her gift to find a selection of books. "What did you get Bubba" Lorelai leaned over to check Kitty's DVD of Ice Princess and some glittery ice skating tights.

"Cool. Thank you April," Kitty cooed excitedly. "I've got practise this afternoon, can you come see?"

"I'm up for that," Rose nodded. The young woman blanched slightly at Kitty's sideways look. "Is that OK?"

"Yeah," Kitty gave a curt nod. "I know you are here for a sleepover, but you got to sleep in different rooms. Daddy wouldn't like it."

"Bubba," Lorelai ran her hand over Kitty's hair, crushing the chocolate curls. "Rose was going to stay in Gigi's room anyway."

"Ok, but no sneaking. Dadd…"

Lorelai placed her hand over Kitty's mouth. "April knows what Daddy will say," she widened her eyes and then removed her hand. "And April knows that Daddy and Mommy are just very happy that she is happy."

"Yeah," April blushed. She looked down at her hands in her laps and then across at Rose, her embarrassed grimace morphing into a soft smile. "but we'd love to come see you ice skate."

"OK,"

"So where are Grace and Sam?" April looked over her shoulder for the youngest of her siblings.

"Grace is playing in the back and Sam went to brush his hair," Lorelai explained with a small smirk.

"You guys have the same taste in girls," Kitty explained returning to her workbook. "He thinks you're pretty," she added for Rose's benefit.

"Oh!"

Lorelai chuckled as Rose's perfectly plucked eyebrows rose skywards. "He's five, just expect a lot of puppy dog eyes and wanting to impress you. Ah," she looked towards the stairs and stifled a laugh. Sam was carefully walking down in his Friday Night Dinner finest, his smart jacket over his button down shirt which was buttoned in the wrong place. "Oh yeah definitely trying to impress."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked around as the front door opened and gently squeezed Lorelai's shoulder to wake her up Even though April was 21 years old, and had lived away from home for almost four years they had stayed up to insure she got home safely after her concert. April gave him a startled look. One of surprise that they were waiting for her.

"You have a good time?" he asked softly, unable to move with the half-asleep Lorelai doing her burrowing into his chest don't want to move thing she did.

"Yeah, I didn't know you were waiting," April began to apologise.

"We wanted to check you got in OK," Luke waved a hand at her to stop her apology.

"We?" April whispered.

"We," Lorelai finally sat up "Hey guys good concert?"

"Really good, just what we needed" Rose answered.

Luke watched as the young woman squeezed April's hand and then made a motion with her head almost like she was going to lean in to kiss April, before stopping and realising were she was.

"I'm going to head up," the young woman blushed and disappeared up the stairs.

"Er…" April's cheeks blushed crimson and she looked down at the floor.

"We embarrassed her," Lorelai hit his chest and then laboriously began to stand up. "We didn't mean to embarrass you, we just wanted to check you guys got home safe."

Luke watched as Lorelai staggered around the couch and stumbled over to April. He stood as Lorelai delivered a monumental Mom squeeze hug and planted a kiss on April's forehead.

"I'm going…bed," Lorelai burbled and stumbled up the stairs.

"So you had a good time," Luke double checked, falling in line with April.

"Yeah we had a great time," April's cheeks had returned to normal colour.

"Good." Luke pushed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels for a moment. Lorelai had filled him in that Rose and April were more than friends and now he wasn't entirely sure how to comment on it without making it a big deal. "So, you know the rules of the house."

"What?" April stared at him in mild confusion.

"I know you don't," he pulled his hand out of his pocket and rolled his hand to try and indicate sex. "but separate rooms."

"Dad!" April's cheeks burned again.

"You get the same talk as Rory," Luke moved slowly over to the light switch to turn off the downstairs hallway and the porch lights. "She seems nice."

"She's more than nice," April told him with a faint air of defence in her voice.

"As long as you are happy," Luke moved towards her. He paused a moment and then put his arms around April's shoulders pulling her into a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head, her frizzed hair smelling of concert, a mix of sweat, beer and tobacco smoke. "You are, right? You're OK?"

"I'm OK," April mumbled into his chest as she clung onto him. "Could do without the exams but I'm OK."

"Good," Luke kissed her crown again. "Bed. I'll do you pancakes tomorrow morning."

"Blueberry and chocolate chip?" April looked up at him hopefully.

"Blueberry and chocolate chip."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked up as the bell over the door rang. He smiled immediately as he saw Lorelai, surprised to see her on a mid-Wednesday morning. "Hey." He reached behind him to collect her favourite blue mug so he could pour her a coffee.

"Hey," Lorelai sank onto the stool in front of the register, her eyes fixed on him, barely blinking.

"You OK?" Luke asked nervously, concerned by her quietness and her unblinking gaze.

"Yes," Lorelai nodded and then set her purse on the counter. She reached inside it and pulled out a slip of paper. "I just went to the bank. I had to sort out the petty cash for the inn and I made a dress for Mrs Lanahan and she paid me by cheque so I had to pay that in. A cheque how wild is that? I thought only my parents used cheques. But then she is like 120. I wonder if she even has a bank card, maybe she still has the cool book that they write in. Anyway." She put the slip of paper on the counter and slid it across to him. "You wanna tell me something?"

Luke didn't look at the slip, instead keeping her gaze. "I transferred you some money," he answered her quietly. "I wasn't going to buy you face cream for your birthday and I want you to have the one you like."

"You transferred me $500," Lorelai's eyebrows bowed in the middle of each brow. Her face a picture of confusion. "My face cream doesn't cost $500 and technically if I get it, you are buying me face cream."

Luke raised his finger to stop her. "But not for your birthday," he shrugged. "You were getting stressed out by it. I don't want you to stress. I want you to be able to buy what you need and not have to stress. I have the money, it just sits there, you know I don't really buy myself stuff."

"I know," Lorelai nodded in agreement, "but…"

"But nothing. Get your face cream and what ever other things you need to make yourself feel good. Though please, not loads of mallomars or those fruity plastic lace things you eat." He looked at her imploringly for a moment, "but you know get what you need. And if you need more let me know."

"I won't. I added myself back on the payroll for this month," Lorelai told him softly. She grinned at him and reached to the side of the register to pluck a napkin from the stack. "I'm gonna buy you a hat. Or maybe a new flannel, maybe a red one. You look cute in red, all lumberjacky."

"You are not going to buy me a shirt with the money I gave you. It's for you to spend on you," he looked down in confusion as she reached across the counter to take the pen from his hands. "Lorelai what are you doing?"

"You looking all sexy and mountain mannish is for me. Makes me feel all loopy," Lorelai chuckled as she wrote something on the napkin. "And what I am doing is honouring our tradition when it comes to money." She slid the napkin forcefully across the counter. "Maybe you should grow the scruffle out a bit and I should get you a beanie instead of a cap."

"I am not dressing as a lumberjack," Luke scowled at her before looking down at the napkin. There scrawled as neatly as she could on the delicate paper was the word, 'thank you' "and you're welcome, and I mean it it's to spend on you."

"What if I buy something for me that you can enjoy?" Lorelai asked. She cupped her hands around the coffee mug and took a sip. "Is that OK?"

"I just want to see you happy," Luke shrugged. "That's all I need."

"Oh no, it isn't," Lorelai quirked her eyebrows.

"You're gonna get something fruity aren't you?"

"Well, I was going to go lacy or frilly but there was a cute set with cherries on and I know how you like cherries," Lorelai took another healthy gulp from her coffee mug. "I'll leave you in suspense."

"As long as you are getting it because you need or want it."

Lorelai nodded. She finished her coffee and set the mug back down. "I do." Slowly she stood up and leaned across the counter. "Kiss." They kissed gently and Luke took a sidestep to get her a donut. "Thanks Daddy Warbucks."

"Don't call me Daddy." Luke looked at her imploringly as he handed her a glazed donut.

"Yeah, I'll save that for when I have my cherries on" Lorelai snatched the donut and gave him a cheeky smile. It quickly dropped into one of complete gratitude. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

"Any Time."


	15. Boss Lady

**AN - Thank you guys - Yeah lots going on, you find out about Sookie a little this chapter, it's a slow burn plot, but then this story is all kinda slow burn but you get the drift :P. I'm so glad you like April and Rose and how Luke deals with it, it was the one way I figured I could show he is totally support and that is for him to treat her the exact same way he treated Rory. For the reviewer who commented on Life and Liberty, I guess you are reading this too, but yay, glad you got the reference, I like doing that dropping random things like that. Often it's related to things that the cast have done elsewhere. DId anyone get the chiropracter/osteopath reference in an earlier chapter? but sometimes it's just for fun, like Charlie's Angels. :). Anyways on we go. As ever all my own work so all mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 15 – Boss Lady**

There was a persistent ringing and then the world shifted. Lorelai jerked awake as Luke vanished from beneath her and she landed on the mattress with a soft thud; her breath forced out of her. Disorientated she reached out, Luke was hovering over her, making a grumbling sound that she couldn't quite make out but her sleep addled brain thought might be speech. The ringing stopped.

"Lorelai," Luke shook her more awake.

"No," Lorelai grumbled, she rolled as best she could with him half over her and tried to pull the pillow over her head.

"Lorelai," Luke shook her shoulder. "It's the Inn."

"What?" Lorelai finally peeled her eyes open. "Why?"

"Something is wrong with Cletus," Luke waggled the phone at her.

"Stupid horse," Lorelai snatched the phone from him. "Yeah?" she hissed down the phone. She listened for half a second and then sat up suddenly. Not realising how close Luke was to her their heads collided with a sharp thwack. She dropped the phone and clutched the side of her face trying to press the throb of pain back into her head as Luke swore in the darkness. The pain subsided and Lorelai scrambled with her hand to find the phone on the bed. "I'm coming," she hissed and threw the phone back on the side table. "I gotta go. Cletus has colic. They think it's a twisted gut."

"That's bad," Luke mumbled rubbing the side of his face.

"Very bad. I think." Lorelai scrambled out of the bed and rushed over to the chair in the corner. There was a pair of her jeans and one of Luke's shirts draped over the side and she grabbed them both. "I don't know when I'll be back."

"I got it, don't worry," Luke told her as she began to dress. "I hope everything is sorted. Take the flashlight."

"Yeah," Lorelai pulled his shirt over her head and then stumbled across to her cabinet to find her plimsoll sneakers. She shoved her feet into the shoes, crushing the back in her haste to force them on her feet. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and by the time it was tied her feet were in the shoes. "Bye Hun."

She raced into the hallway and down the stairs before he had a chance to respond. In the side table by the front door was the emergency kit, placed there at Luke's insistent. There was a heavy duty flashlight, so weighty it could be used as a weapon, but coated in a rubberised plastic in case someone tried. Flashlight in hand she grabbed her purse and then threw open the door. She gasped as the cool air hit her and in the moment it took to acclimatise she closed the door. Clicking on the flashlight she walked down the steps of the porch and then began to jog down the driveway. It was only a short distance to the Inn and already she could hear noises that sounded like an animal in distress. Her pace increased and she ran out into the road in a way that had it been daytime would be dangerous. The beam of the flashlight bounced about the blacktop as she ran but she kept to the white line in the centre of the street until the gravel lines from the Inn's driveway broke up the perfect surface. The noise of the horse in pain was louder now. Deep bellows and as she turned the corner into the driveway she was hit by a wall of light. It looked like every light was on in the Inn. Staff and guests were gathered in the front garden of the Inn, their heads turned towards the sounds of distress yet unwilling to go inside away from the action. Had she had more presence of mind she would have been pleased to see no cell phones capturing the animals distress. Lorelai shoved her way through over to the vet's jeep. The vet, and George and Kerry who looked after Cletus were in the small paddock to the side of the barn. The three of them were hovering in a semi-circle around the animal. Cletus was laid on the ground, rocking from side to side and bellowing in pain every few moment. "Dr Swartz," Lorelai called as she began to climb over the fence into the paddock. George rushed over to help her. Her feet sunk into the soft sand of the paddock as she landed and she looked towards the vet. He was wearing a serious expression. "Can you do something for his pain?" Lorelai asked as the horse let out a particularly loud bellow.

"We've given him something," the vet explained inclining his head to bring Lorelai over to the animal. "He won't stand, and that is exacerbating his pain."

"Oh Buddy," Lorelai knelt down beside the horses head. His eyes were wide and filled with pain. Tenderly she reached out and scratched the horse on his brow. "What can we do?" she asked looking over her shoulder at the vet, his grim expression telling her all she needed to know.

* * *

 **xXx**

The door of the office opened and Lorelai looked up as Michel came in carrying a cup of coffee and a plate of croissant. He set the plate of croissant on the desk in front of her and then sat at his own desk nursing the coffee. "What did the glue factory say?"

"Michel!" Lorelai admonished, sending him a glowering look as she threw down her pen. "Cletus was a member of our team. He's the reason I have my twins."

"How so?" Michel peered at her over his mug.

Lorelai held up her hand to him, the faint shine visible of a long-healed scar. "Remember, he bit me."

"Ah yes," Michel took a sip from his coffee. His face pulled into one of disgust, whether in response to the coffee or the memory of her bleeding hand she wasn't sure. "So when will the…who ever is picking up the body be here? Team member or not we can't have it stinking the place up."

"They'll be here Tuesday morning. They can't come today it involves planning," Lorelai picked up a croissant and began to tear it to pieces in her fingers. The flakes of pastry rained down on her dust covered clothes. She threw the pastry onto the plate and sighed heavily. "Refund everyone's room last night for the inconvenience."

"Very well," Michel nodded without moving. "So what now? Will you get more of those creatures?"

"I don't know," Lorelai shook her head. She looked down at her notebook. Lists of what she needed to do just to dispose of the animal was extensive. She had to just get through the next few hours. The kids were bound to be upset when she told them and she was already exhausted.

"They are very costly and smelly and we could do so much more with the space. Refurbish it or…"

"Or?" Lorelai looked back at him over his shoulder. Michel looked like everything she felt she wasn't, a business man. He was smartly dressed, in control of his emotions, thinking rationally. She just wanted to cry over the horse.

"Facilities for our guests," Michel tipped his head forward and offered her a little smile. "A gym perhaps, treatment rooms for a spa."

"Michel," Lorelai looked back at her desk. "I don't have the money for that."

"No, but it is a business plan. Was that not what you were complaining about a few weeks ago? Banks being stupid because they will not give unless you have a solid business plan," Michel raised his eyebrow knowingly.

"Well," Lorelai glanced towards her computer screen. It was dark, her laptop still at home so there was nothing to power the screen. Her fingers fluttered across the keys of the keyboard as if beginning to work out the information. She gave a little growl and lifted the keyboard setting it on top of her laptop docking station.

"It would be good for business," Michel singsonged before taking a sip of coffee. "People want to be rubbed and scrubbed. They want to run on a treadmill like a hamster because they like ogling themselves in the big mirror. Let them ogle."

"Maybe," Lorelai conceded. She wrinkled her nose as Michel made a noise of satisfaction. It grated on her. She was tired and upset but his idea was sound. She'd just had to work it out, to see if it was feasible even if she could get credit. Everything at the inn was on a fine wire of profitable. There had been so much extra expense the past year and with Sookie gone it was all falling on her. And now she had to deal with the death of the horse and all that entailed. Plus the fact that with no animals to care for she really had to let the two animal care staff go. They had both been with the inn since the opening. It wasn't just the death of the horse that the inn had to deal with but the effective closing of a department. She caught Michel's mouth beginning to twitch as if he was about to say something and she held up her hand. "Enough Michel, I'll think about it."

"Well." Michel stood and reached to take a manila folder from the top of the filing cabinet that was shoved beside his tiny desk. He extended his arm regally and gave her a pointed look. "Evidence."

She took the folder and opened it. Inside were reports and costings for treatments and staffing cost. The print out indicated that it was only a year out of date. The pricing wouldn't be far off. Michel had already done part of what she needed. "I'll think about it."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai looked around at the knock of the door to the office. She was mid-way through her Wednesday financial run, at a critical junction and she needed to get it done. She was already late and had had to call Luke so that he could go get the twins from school. Her morning had been eaten up with exit interviews with George and Kerry who had been more then gracious about the fact that they were being let go. It had made her feel worse. She hated letting staff members go at the best of times, but somehow it was easier when they were mad at her. It mitigated her guilt a little bit.

She raised her eyebrows as Arielle appeared in the office. Silently the young woman beckoned for her to follow her. Arielle was dressed in her Luke's clothes, the unofficial uniform that she wore every time that Lorelai saw her in the diner. A pair of indigo denim jeans paired with a sunny yellow shirt that matched the colour of the diner sign and white canvas sneakers. There was faint smatterings of food on the white shoes, the rest of the ensemble looking a little washed out and worn. The young woman's hair was done in an elaborate braided up do, the style of a Swiss milkmaid. Lorelai was confused as to why Arielle was here. She was supposed to be at the diner on her shift. "What's going on?" Lorelai asked as Arielle walked across the reception and to the front door of the inn.

"The kids wanted to do it," Arielle half explained opening the door and ushered Lorelai out the door.

Luke was stood by the paddock, his arms folded watching the kids as they fluttered around placing flowers and colourful bunting on the wooden posts of the paddocks with the help of Kirk and two younger teens who bore a resemblance to Arielle and she therefore assumed were Arielle's siblings. Babette was stood beside Morey who was quietly tuning a guitar. Stood to one side with thoroughly bemused expressions on their faces were her parents, both looking completely out of place in their comparatively smart clothing. She caught her mother's eyes and crossed over to them. "Hi Mom. What is this?"

"Willow was rather insistent," Emily half explained. "She said you were very upset and that it was only right that we gave Cletus a proper goodbye. We're here to lend our support."

Lorelai studied her mother's face. Despite the uncomfortableness in the unfamiliar there was concern and kindness exuding from her mother's eyes. "Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome Lorelai," Emily looked down at her feet. "I want to make sure my girls are OK."

"That more than just me," Lorelai guessed as she watched Emily shifted her feet a fraction from side to side.

"Rory seemed out of sorts when we saw her," Emily explained. "Very busy. I know you are her guidepost so…" the sentence trailed off. "We do what we can."

"I know," Lorelai lightly touched Emily's elbow. She looked past her mother to her father's face, his expression was the same as her mother if not more open, his blue eyes looking slightly watery. "Dad?"

"They are wonderful children," Richard gestured towards the children as they continued with their preparations. "We are happy to be here."

"Horrible circumstances," Emily interjected.

"Yes," Richard nodded, "but excluding that, we are happy to be here to support you."

"Thanks Dad," Lorelai looked down at her feet, there was a speck of dirt on her polished heels and she raised her leg and wiped it across the back of her calf. "Dad could I bring something to go through with you on Friday? I have a business idea that I need a sense check on."

"I would be happy to do so," Richard assured her, his attention on Sam. He turned away from her as the child ran over and scooped the little boy into his arms. Lifting the child with the energy of a much younger man. "It looks beautiful Samuel."

"The girls did it," Sam explained. "Hi Mommy."

"Hi gorgeous boy," Lorelai responded. She was unable to say anything else as Willow ran over to her and leapt at her. She caught the child and took a step back to mitigate Willows momentum. At nine she was just that bit too big to be held but Lorelai cuddled her to her despite the awkwardness and her own lack of strength. "Thank you Honey bunch."

"It's important to say goodbye," Willow pressed a kiss to her cheek. "We wanted it to be pretty." She slithered down from Lorelai and then ran over to the fence to continue their preparations for the memorial to the horse that was the reason she and her sister existed.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Daddy,"

Luke peered over the counter at the sound of Grace's frustrated utterance. His youngest daughter stood in front of the till, her arms folded and her face pulled into an expression of annoyance. It was Sam's gym class and as it was raining heavily Lorelai and Grace had come over to the diner to wait for the class to finish instead of going home. Lorelai had wrangled the child's curls into a high ponytail and her hair had frizzed from the moisture in the air. "You Ok?" Luke asked carefully, Grace of all the kids did the best Emily impression and he could tell from her tone that perhaps he was about to be treated to one.

"Mommy's reading," Grace gestured wildly towards Lorelai, who, in the time that he had been restocking pickles in the back, had spread reams of paper across a table for four. "She's not talking, it's boring. You talk to me," she demanded holding her arms up to him.

Luke stepped round the counter and lifted the child onto his hip and walked her back over to the table without saying a word. He set Grace on the chair she had been sitting in and then read some of the paper that Lorelai was working on. "What are you doing?"

"Just some work," Lorelai mumbled without looking up. "An idea for what to do with the barn."

"You bring anything for Grace to do?" Luke asked offering Grace a small smile.

"I…" Lorelai paused and then Luke watched her face go on a journey, one that started with confusion and ended with her sitting bolt upright, her mouth open in surprise. "Oh Gracie," Lorelai reached to squeeze the youngster's arm. "Mommy…"

"forgotted me." Grace gave her a withering look and looked up at Luke. "Daddy. I'm getting colouring," she slipped off the chair and trotted over to the counter returning moments later with a worksheet and some crayons. At nearly four the child was far more self-sufficient then her normal play to the baby status let on.

"Mommy would never forget you Shortcake."

Lorelai made to coax Grace to her so she could cuddle her, but Grace was having none of it. Luke stifled a smile as Grace pulled the chair furthest away from Lorelai with savage slowness, her eyes trained intently on Lorelai the whole time, just rubbing in to her mother that she was mad at her.

"Oh boy," Lorelai pressed her lips together in an immature pout. "Mommy's in the dog house."

"Seems so," Luke agreed. He scanned the paper again. "So what is all this?"

"Just working out possibility. It could all be just pie in the sky if the bank doesn't like it, but potentially it's a nice new revenue stream," Lorelai gave an excited and definite nod. "Speaking of pie."

"Lorelai, it's 11.15, it's nearly lunchtime." Luke pointed out with an air of a man who knew he had already lost the battle.

"It is always pie time," Lorelai put her best pleading face on. The one that he always had difficulty in saying no to. "Sides I have a baby to make love me again. You like pie don't you Gracie?"

"Yup," Grace nodded, her look of annoyance disappearing from her face replaced with the glee of knowing she was about to get a treat. "Peach."

"Peach." Lorelai nodded. "Got peach pie? These girls are in serious need."

Luke rolled his eyes. "One piece to share."

"Deal." Lorelai grinned at him. She shuffled her papers to begin putting them away and glanced across at the now smiling Grace. "Is Mommy forgiven?"

"Yes," Grace slipped down from the chair and moved to her previous one beside Lorelai, "but I get the peach."

"Good, Mommy likes the crust," Lorelai pulled the child onto her lap and cuddled her. "Go on, we need pie," she scrunched her shoulders in amusement at him. "Thank you Hun."

"Ok," Luke gave her a wry smile, "but we'll talk about this later," he tapped the file. "I'll go get the pie."

"Yay pie." Lorelai cheered bouncing Grace with her knee making the child giggle. All thoughts of forgetfulness forgiven.

* * *

 **xXx**

When Luke made it home for the second time that night having been to close the diner for the evening he predictably found Lorelai spread out over the kitchen table. Every square inch of red 5ft by 4ft table top hidden by sheets of paper and her laptop. She looked up at him with a smile but didn't say anything, instead rifling through the papers to find something.

With an excited 'ah-ha' she found what she was looking for and held it up. "No comments on my artwork but as someone who knows about constructiony things do you think that will work?"

Luke took the paper and stared at it. It was a very crude image of a small two story building stuck on a picture of the inn grounds. From what he could figure where the barn and paddock currently were. He looked down as Lorelai waggled another sheet of paper at him and he took in a similarly crudely drawn floor plan. A reception area, changing area, gym, steam and sauna rooms and three rooms with treatment room scribbled over them. "What is this?"

"Ideas!" Lorelai's leaned forward her eyes bright in excitement. "Michel's idea, which is annoyingly actually a good one. As much as I loved them the horses were a massive financial drain. This not only makes us more desirable to guests because for some reason people think vacation must go work on my abs," she shot him a mildly bewildered look, "but opens a whole new revenue stream as a day spa, plus if we make the gym big enough we can sell membership to locals. The nearest gym is Woodbury."

"Yeah," Luke muttered as he stared at the pages again. "But won't this cost a tonne of money?"

"It will, but I reckon based on my extensive research," Lorelai patted the piles of paper. "That subject to quotes I can make it break even in two years 2 years. It could be an amazing."

"It could be."

"Thanks for the enthusiasm Droopy Dog," Lorelai scowled at him.

"Sorry, it looks like it could be good," Luke handed her the paper back and then sat down beside her. "But it's a big financial hit. You would have to take out credit with the bank. I thought you were trying to avoid tha.t"

"For the renovations and that was because it's hard to get credit for that type of thing at least on the small scale we needed. This is different. This is a sound solid business plan." Lorelai crowed and then sat back "Good idea, or am I being Miss Dim from dumbland?"

"It could be a good idea. You need to get the loan first though," Luke counselled. He scanned the print out of banking requirements. "You going to get your accountant to look over it."

"Yup, and my Dad. Plus, if I open it as a new business I can do everything myself without Sookie, who by the way called this evening."

"She did?" Luke looked at Lorelai in surprise. Lorelai's attempt at contacting Sookie had been going on for months. He frowned realising the lightness of his tone was not what she was after and that clearly the conversation had not gone well. "She did?" he levelled his tone.

"Yup, because her paycheck hadn't been received. I asked her if she had received the letter," Lorelai's posture sagged. "She said no and I basically told her what the letter said. She got all upset and then I pointed out she was only supposed to be gone 6 weeks and that she had been paid for sixteen weeks and I had not taken a wage this year in order to facilitate it. I told her if she wanted to get paid by the inn she needed to come back to work or we needed to reach the profit threshold we'd agreed on."

Luke paused for a moment. He knew what the outcome of the conversation had been. If Sookie had said she was coming back Lorelai would have been dancing around the kitchen, chattering a mile a minute about it. Certainly not talking about opening a new business without her best friend and business partner. "She gonna let you know?"

"Yep!"

Lorelai blew her lips out and then made a popping sound, her lips slightly parted. She looked adorably cute and Luke began to lean in to give her a soft kiss, to try and comfort her. Suddenly Lorelai squeaked in surprise and he looked down to the left where her eyes were trained. Steely, the scientifically named rabbit, named for Steely Dan because the children had forced him to make a suggestion, was in the middle of the kitchen floor. Her grey nose was twitching and she didn't appear to have a care in the world. Luke rose and marched over to the bunny scooping her up and shaking her head. "Who's turn was it?"

"Who do you think?" Lorelai shook her head. "I told you that dumb chart wouldn't work. We need to offer them cold hard cash."

"I am not paying our kids to look after the rabbit they said they would look after," Luke rolled his eyes. "But maybe I should play hardball. They don't care for the rabbit properly they don't get dessert."

Lorelai stared at him in horror. "That is so harsh. It's going to be like that scene in Oliver."

"Except they won't be asking for more because they never had any in the first place," Luke called as he marched towards the backdoor to put the rabbit away in it's hutch. He could hear Lorelai keeping rapid pace behind him, her bare feet padding rapidly on the wooden floor. She paused in the doorway while he went out onto the back porch and put the rabbit into her bed side of the hutch. "They had to learn responsibilities Lorelai."

"I know, but no dessert," she gave an overdramatic shudder "So mean, so so mean!"

"I'll think on it," Luke relented, knowing that she was right. He stood up and then looked her up and down. "You're sure about all this? The opening a sub business?"

"Yes," Lorelai gave a definite nod. "It's a good venture, a solid plan, it could be really profitable. Or do you mean timewise. I mean It will take a while, even with everything going perfectly the earliest we could open is this time next year. Sam starts school this year, Grace the year after. I'm going to have lots more time and maybe this will be a good way to fill it."

"Ok," Luke nodded, swallowing the need comment about their youngest two children in school. "But why can you do this without Sookie?"

Lorelai frowned at him and turned with a huff. "Because I own the actual property. Sookie is part owner of the business on the property. The land is mine, the building is mine. If I was a philistine I could pave paradise and put up a parking lot."

"Taylor might have something to say about that," Luke smiled. It wavered as he watched her expression. She was trying to be brave. Her front was up because her conversation with Sookie had hurt her. He held his arm out. "Come here."

She did stepping into his arms and cuddling into him. "What if she never comes back? She was mad."

"If she doesn't come back then it's her loss." Luke squashed her into his chest and then pressed a kiss into her temple. "She will come back eventually Lorelai and I know you don't want to hear it but you know the restaurant works better without her."

"Our insurance premium is certainly lower," Lorelai sighed, her fingers tensing, letting him know that she wasn't going to let go of him any time soon. "Am I crazy?" she whispered.

"Only in the way I like it Crazy Lady." He kissed her temple again. "If the bank goes for it and you think you can handle it, who am I to stand in the way."

"You're my husband," she lifted her head away from his chest to better look at him. "You're the one person who I count on standing in my way if I'm being a crazy person."

"The idea is a good one," Luke told her softly, keeping his arms supportive around her. "It's up the bank if you are crazy or not. And If they say not, I'm not standing in your way. I'm standing next to you, or behind you, or wherever you want me to stand. In the diner making coffee probably." He smiled as she gave a snuffly laugh and he kissed her on the forehead "Kay?"

"Kay."


	16. SB

**AN - Thank you guys, Luke was always a supportive guy but it's finding ways for him to do it in this story, not so many options for his grand gestures now they are married, certainly no rink in a box. We're moving into AYITL territory and I'm trying to incorporate storylines as much as I can, as I did with original run storylines and POH. One of the things that bugged me about AYITL is we never got a resolution to did Lorelai get the building was Michel going to stay, so it's a smooshing of Lorelai's different circumstances in the AU and that, it's a bit of a slow burn and stuff will be coming over Lorelai's reasonings. This chapter also rectifys the passing comment in AITYL about Luke attendence at April's graduation (which I thought was wierd). That being said there will be a short hiatus after the next chapter after this which I will post Tuesday. I have a surgery next week and am pretty sure I'm going to feel awful and most likely won't be writing for a week or so. The next chapter after this has a sweet 'mid season' finale feel (or season finale if you take that these chapters so far have covered roughly a year/show season timeframe) Anyways. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – S.B**

"But why can't we come and see April get her certificate?"

Lorelai looked back at the trail of children behind her, following her like a ramshackle conga line as she went from the twin's bedroom to Sam's bedroom to put away the laundry. "It's not a certificate it's her College diploma and you can't come because she's only allowed 4 tickets. So it's me and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa. You're going to have loads of fun with Uncle Morey and Auntie Babette, they're gonna teach you piano and guitar, and then Miss Patty is going to come sleepover with you."

"Is Miss Patty gonna cook?" Kitty asked flopping onto Sam's perfectly made bed and sending a shower of dinosaur toys onto the ground. "All she eats is salad."

"Miss Patty will heat up the meals that Daddy made and you won't pester her for anything else OK?" Lorelai scooped up the toys and dumped them back on the bed. Sam in response squeaked and scrambled over to put them right, more concerned with them being in the wrong place then that they had been on the floor. "Miss Patty is dieting which is really hard and she's doing really really well!"

"She can't even have a piece of cake?" Willow looked at Lorelai in alarm. "Not even one piece?"

"No, she doesn't think she can, so be nice because she really wants cake," Lorelai moved out of the room. The twins and Grace followed her, leaving Sam to correct his dinosaurs. She moved across the landing to Grace's room and moved across to the dresser. "You're going to have so much fun!"

"Yeah but it's not fair!" Kitty told her. The child stepped alongside her and took the laundry from her hands, after a moment she dumped the entire contents into the drawer beside her "We always miss everything. All the important big stuff. We want to cheer for April."

"I know Bubba, but the stupid school only allows 4 tickets per person. But I bet you can make a super duper amazing banner and when we come home with April on Thursday you can be stood outside cheering and waving." Lorelai tried to placate them. It was a losing battle and the children did have a point, they had missed Rory's college graduations and April's high school graduation. With them still smarting over her Mommy and Me weekend with Rory it had all hit a nerve. "April knows that you want to be there and she knows you are proud of her. What is it Shortcake?" she looked down as Grace pawed at the front of her jeans.

"Cell," Grace muttered. The child slid around her and located her cellphone in her back pocket and pulled it out. "We make a movie. You show April."

"Of us saying congratulations. Cool idea Grace," Willow rushed over, her finger slid across the screen to unlock the phone. "We need to plan it. Lots of noise, lots of cheering!"

"The drum and the xylophone and the triangle and the maraca," Kitty bounced excitedly.

The three girls stared down at the cellphone deep in thought. "Mommy," Willow began. "Give us ten minutes then you gotta film us."

"OK but can I…" Lorelai didn't finish her sentence as the three children rushed out of the bedroom. "I need my phone guys. Stupid technology and my sweet babies," she followed the sound of the kids excitement into the hallway. Still, ten minutes gave her a chance to finish putting the laundry away.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Oh my God!" Lorelai threw her phone back into her purse and set it down on the bench seat of the truck with force. "My mother is on cloud cuckoo. She wanted to know what colour tie you have with you so that my Dad doesn't clash."

"What was the reaction to the funeral comment?" Luke asked glancing at her for a moment before he returned his attention back to the road. "Have they not left yet?"

"They've left but she has packed Dad six ties and she wants to ensure outfits all coordinate. Then I got a five minute lecture on why are we staying at different hotels and that I was to emphasis the smart part of smart casual for dinner tonight. I get that she is excited and it is a big occasion but she is making it the biggest thing ever and that should only be reserved for weddings." Lorelai reached for the air blower and fiddled with the knob that controlled the direction. "Is it warm or is it me?"

"It's warm."

"Thank God. I thought I was having a hot flush. I am not ready for that delight just yet, thank you!" Lorelai gave up with the knob and moved to the window rolling the window down arduously. "Phew I got muscles for miles now. Is that why you're so strong because you have to do the windows?"

"Or the hefting around jars of mayonnaise and small kids," Luke smirked at her. He let out a low guttural growl as some idiot in a German saloon car pulled into the space in front of him. "It's called a braking distance, moron," he very nearly honked when the driver suddenly moved back into the fast lane and sped off. "Jackass." he grumbled. "People don't know how to drive."

"I know," Lorelai's hand traced the back of his neck beneath the brim of his cap. "But BMW driver you know what they say."

"Yeah," Luke nodded and cast his eyes across his speedometer just to check he hadn't fallen into his pattern of driving too slowly. He was doing just below the speed limit, keeping pace with the car in front. "No rush. So is it just us with your parents tonight?"

"April is at that party with her friends, so yeah," Lorelai nodded retracting her hand from his neck and moving it to his thigh.

"Er. Lorelai."

"Oh, Sorry Hun," Lorelai muttered not sounding the least bit sorry. "Must be this humidity. I would so not cope in the south. It is sultry," she affected a southern drawl and then giggled. "I hope the hotel room has better aircon then your truck."

"If it has aircon it will. Seeing as this truck doesn't have aircon. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow, maybe it can do it overnight." He gave her a wry smile. "So dinner with your Mom and Dad?"

"Why so nervous? I mean sure Mom will probably want to military precision everything," Lorelai shrugged. "We have dinner in the fancy restaurant tonight. That's the pain. Then we meet April for breakfast and go with her to do all the hoopla of photos and whatnot, then it's the ceremony after which we go have dinner at the restaurant she picked for her celebration meal. Then we say goodbye to Mom and Dad, they do their own thing. We go back to the hotel to then meet April bright and early so we can pack her dorm room and get all that paperwork done and then we are homeward bound."

"What were you saying about military precision?" Luke teased. He indicated to pull into the lane that would take them towards Cambridge.

"Mean." Lorelai pouted. "That's not military, that's just plans. Mom will be like. 1000 hours meet on the quad. 1200 commencement address. 1330 caviar sandwiches and tapas. 1500 April's diploma ceremony etc etc. I'm breezy," she waved her hand. "Actually, I'm snacky." She looked down at the bag by her legs. "Did you pack anything?…ooh yoghurt covered banana chips. I know its yoghurt and it's supposedly healthy but I think it just tastes like white chocolate and oooh!" she let out a squeal of delight. "Chocolate covered expresso beans! What did I do to deserve that?"

"Make sure I don't have to wear a tie tonight," Luke muttered hopefully.

"Smart casual," Lorelai reiterated. "I packed your sports coat, black button down, top two buttons open. No cap. You'll be doing your sexy man in black thing. All sexy and smouldering."

"Lorelai, we're having dinner with your parents." Luke toed the brake as they hit a small traffic snarl.

"Hmm, yes, maybe keep it to just smouldering." She grinned at him before returning her attention back to her discovered treat "Relax Hun, this few days is all about our girl. That's what Mom and Dad will be focussing on. Don't know if you've noticed but they are rather fond of her."

"Yeah," Luke grinned as he filtered onto the new road. "I hope she enjoys this."

"She's gonna be bouncing between wanting to vomit from nerves and bored out of her mind," Lorelai shrugged. "These things are boring rites of passage. So much pressure when she's done all the hard work already." She popped a few of the espresso beans. "You want some?"

"No," Luke shook his head. "Just want to get there."

"Well not far now."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Are we late?"

Lorelai looked over her shoulder at Luke as they stood waiting to be seated by the host. He was fiddling with the collar of his shirt, he was uncomfortable at being in a new place and it oozed out of him. Lorelai reached back and placed her hand comfortingly in the centre of his chest. "We're not late, we are following the rules," she nodded at the sign requesting that they wait to be seated. "It's not our fault the restaurant is so busy." She tenderly fixed his collar. "And look the penguin guy is coming."

"Am I dressed OK?" Luke asked, his eyes darting around the room.

"You are dressed perfectly," Lorelai soothed. "See, that guy isn't wearing a tie. Neither is that one," she pointed out two men visible from the hostess station. "I bet when we get in there we see three ties on diners and they are all gonna be my Dad's age. Hi." She turned a megawatt smile on for the host. "I think the table is under Gilmore. The rest of our party is here, their car is in the parking lot."

"If you will follow me," The host beckoned them through to the restaurant.

Lorelai followed, leading Luke like she would one of the children. "Thank you," she nodded at the host as he stepped to one side to indicate the table that her parents were sat at. "Hi Mom, Hi Dad. How was your drive?"

"It was fine Lorelai," Richard stood up to kiss her on the cheek and offer Luke his hand.

"Good good. We weren't late," Lorelai added as she took her seat on the side of the square table next to Emily. "We were waiting to be seated."

Emily gave her an amused raised eyebrow smirk. "I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it," Lorelai waggled her finger good naturedly at her.

"Oh really," Emily rolled her eyes just as good naturedly. "Hello Luke. I must say all black suits you."

"Thanks," Luke's voice rose at the end of his one word utterance, his uncertainty about the sincerity of the complement obvious.

Emily opened her mouth to and then closed it again pressing it into a firm line before lifting her menu. "I've been trying to convince your father that French onion soup is delightful. All their starters seem rather heavy and as he insists on having the braised lamb shank," she shot an annoyed look at Richard, "it mitigates at least some of the fat."

"We're on holiday Emily," Richard bleated.

"We are not on holiday, we are attending our granddaughter's graduation," Emily shot him a withering look.

"Hey Dad if you get the French onion soup I bet you get really nice crusty bread and I bet a swanky place as this it's going to be all fresh and warm. Nothing better than fresh crusty bread." Lorelai came to her mother's aid. She waggled her eyebrows at her father and added an 'eh' for good measure. Richard made a noise that sounded like mild acceptance and the party of four all turned their attention to the menu. Once their orders were given, Richard opting for a chicken dish so he could have pate, Lorelai sat back and stared at her parents. They had been very insistent on having this dinner, even though they were all spending the day together tomorrow and they knew of Luke's dislike of anything too formal so she was sure something was forthcoming which had the potential to go down like a lead balloon. She noticed their nervous glance at each other and with a soft sigh sat forward. "So?"

"Actually Lorelai I do have a topic I wanted to discuss with Luke," Richard sat forward, his elbows coming to rest on the table.

"With me?" Luke looked up anxiously.

"As April's father," Richard added sensing the tone in Luke's voice. "It's regards to our gift to April in relation to her graduation."

"Oh I thought you were paying for the picture package as your gift," Luke looked at Lorelai for confirmation. "The framing package?"

"They are. And I know Mom got some geode thing as well," Lorelai confirmed.

"Is that what that box was?" Richard glanced at Emily. He cleared his throat "No this is a more long-term gift, in line with what we did with Rory."

"April said she'd spoken to you about paying for Grad school," Luke blurted. "I really appreciate that."

"No Hun." Lorelai placed a hand on his forearm tethering him as she could sense his nerves were about to spin out into a rant. "They mean the house."

"A house," Luke's eyes bulged. "You want to buy April a house?"

"Or apartment" Richard added "Whatever she would like. In the place where she will be attending graduate school."

"But that was Rory and Spencer's wedding present," Luke pointed out.

"Well no, we purchased the house in New York as her graduation gift which we subsequently signed over to her as a supposedly joint Phd graduation wedding gift; though we then bought them the house in Baltimore as a belated wedding gift. Real Estate in New York if you own is a good investment, it would have been stupid to sell and they may end up back in New York" Richard pointed out. "And Real estate there is somewhat costlier than it is in Cambridge or the towns where the other institutes she was talking about applying to are located." He cleared his throat. "Was she to go to Yale for instance the price variance between New York and New Haven is more than 500% per square foot. Everything is open to conversation."

Lorelai watched Luke as he sunk backwards in his chair clearly stunned. She had wondered if her parents would do something like this. They were nothing if not fair when it came to gift giving and they had always seemed determine to treat April the same they that they treated Rory.

"We didn't want to presume you would be ok with it," Emily added, "and we wanted to get your approval before we spoke with April about it."

"More than I got with Rory," Lorelai chirped, she gave her parents a wrinkled nose smile when they turned to look at her sharply to show that she was joking. She inclined her head as beneath the table Luke's hand found her knee. "She'd be set for life." Luke gave the subtlest of nods and then his hand clenched around her leg. Lorelai turned her head to look at her parents. "Ask her if that is what she would like. Knowing April, she might just want a new microscope or something."

Her parent's faces erupted into ebullient smiles. "Very good." Richard rubbed his hands together. "And look your drinks."

Lorelai smiled up at the waitress as she set their drinks down on the table and then beckoned for the woman to lean in slightly. "Can you get him something strong that's going to calm him," she thumbed towards Luke. "Daddy's reacting to his little girl graduating from college and becoming an actual adult. He needs something to steel his nerves."

* * *

 **xXx**

April whipped her head around as she studied the crowded gymnasium where photographs were being taken. There was six cubicles past the ticket reviewer that they had been waiting for nearly forty minutes to reach. She was pleased that she had insisted on coming to the administration area early. It had taken twenty minutes to get her gown and prepaid class of 2015 hoodie due to volume of people and items to be handed out. No matter how organised people were, things took time. Behind her she could hear her grandparents quietly bickering with each other as they protested how long they had had to wait. The photographers were working at pace but it seemed that nearly every student had booked the extended package just as she had, four photos not just two which was included in the basic package so everything was taking twice as long. Just behind her she could feel her Dad growing tenser by the moment. She looked back at him and smiled. He smiled back and some of the energy he was sensing seemed to release slightly. "Good thing we came early."

"Yeah. I don't remember it being this bad with Rory's," Luke scowled.

"A lot of us have our ceremony after the commencement address," April shrugged. "I'm sure if I was one of the morning ceremonies and we were doing photographs in the afternoon it would be quicker." The line shifted and she took the few steps forward taking them to the front of the queue. "But at least you're not pregnant this time." April looked over her shoulder at Lorelai. She sniggered as Lorelai shook her head in disgust; Lorelai had been very heavily pregnant with Grace for her High school graduation and Rory's doctoral graduation at Columbia. "Silver linings and all that."

"Big silver lining," Lorelai nodded. With a soft sigh she wrapped her arms around April's shoulders in a back to front hug, "and I won't be making positioning super difficult. We can stand next to each other instead of the nine miles away that I had to stand to fit the stomach in."

"You were not that big," April and Luke stated at the same time.

Lorelai chortled and then pressed a kiss into April's temple before releasing her to take wrap her arm around Luke's bicep. "Do we use the prop hat for this?" Lorelai asked looking at the artwork on the top of the morter board that she and Luke had purchased for her as part of her Graduating University Tat gift shop splurge. "Think of all the heads that have been in it."

"It's five minutes it's fine. And I've got lice of the kids before." April shrugged and fumbled with the paper print out that detailed her photo package. "You guys are good with the lice comb."

"Yuck!" Lorelai shuddered, "uggh," she dropped her head. "We're going to get another round with Sam starting Kindergarten in the Fall. We'll have to get some of that stinky shampoo before they sell out."

"Man," Luke rolled his eyes. "Remind me why we thought 4 kids were a good idea?"

"If memory serves you said 4 kids was stupid and 'great plan drop another sucker into this mess'" Lorelai shook her head "I'm not sure much thinking was going on when we made them."

"You wouldn't change them for the world," April nodded. She bounced on her toes as they were beckoned forward by a rather frazzled looking assistant.

"Booth 3, sit in the chairs in front. The photographer will call you and then give you a reference. Give that reference to the person at the end so they can match your order to your pictures."

The party filed through and April took a seat in front of the third booth. The day was whizzing past even with all the waiting. By this time tomorrow she was going to be handing back her keys to her dorm and her whole undergrad college experience would be over. The group in front of her filed out of the booth and after a few minutes of what seemed like admin the photographer beckoned them forward.

"Four pictures. How do you want them?" he muttered looking at her receipt.

"One on my own, one of all of us, one with my parents, one with my grandparents," April reeled off. "I need the plain cap also."

"Sure, take it. Group shots first," The photographer muttered disinterested. "Mum and Grandma next to you," he held out the fake diploma roll.

April took it and then adopted what she felt was an appropriate pose while the others positioned themselves beside her.

"You sure you don't want one with just your Dad?" Lorelai whispered as they waited for Emily to be happy with her pose.

"We can do that outside," April shrugged, stifling a smile as Emily returned to her first position. "I want you in my official parents flanking the graduate shot." She grinned as Lorelai squeezed her elbow.

"Ok and look at me," The photographer called bending down to peer into the camera. "Ok. Now parents out, Grandpa you move to the other side, Grandma stay exactly where you are."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Can you see her?" Luke asked peering through the milling crowd as excited, newly minted graduates filed down from the front of the seating area.

"Give it a moment papa bear," Lorelai wrapped her arm around his bicep and squeezed. "She'll be down in a minute."

"I guess," Luke looked around nervously. "It was good."

"Sure, I mean no one tripped." Lorelai nodded moving out of the way as two shrieking girls rushed past to get to their group. "We need to bag a good spot for photos. Got to get some for that wall in the diner."

"What wall in the diner?" Luke looked at her purposefully keeping his face straight.

Lorelai scoffed. "Look at the innocence. You know there is going to be a wall. There was a Rory wall for both her college graduations and you had the picture from April's high school graduation up for months, even though I was begging you to take it down."

"Why on earth did you want a graduation photo taken down?" Emily entered herself into the conversation.

"Because I looked like a ginormous sweaty mess and was practically bursting out of my dress. It was the day before I had Grace remember. I was all manner of messes," Lorelai wrinkled her nose in distaste "and we have it up at home. I just didn't want it up in the diner. It put people off their food."

"It did not," Luke rolled his eyes.

"It did. Not to mention Kirk." Lorelai gave him a pointed look. "He said my décolletage distracted him from his oatmeal. I didn't want Kirk thinking about my décolletage," She grinned. "See you don't either."

"No," Luke muttered tightly. Very pleased that he hadn't heard Kirk say that to Lorelai as he was pretty sure he would have literally thrown Kirk out the diner. "But distracted is different to put off."

"So anyway, we have to get lots of pictures and he'll get mugs printed and be proud papa," Lorelai finished her explanation. "Oh there she is."

Luke turned to look where Lorelai was pointing. He grinned. He had not seen April look so carefree in years. It was like all the weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she was almost floating. She half skipped towards them, the movement at odds with the vision of young woman just graduated from college. It was something Grace did. It had been what April had done when she was four. It had been the way she had approached him when he would pick her up for her weekends, this excited little skip run. He opened his arms and she skipped right into his arms, giggling with delight.

"I did it!"

"Yeah you did," Luke hugged her, letting her go way sooner then he was ready as the others were closing in to congratulate her. This moment, this rite of passage it meant that April was a proper adult, ready to enter the world. She wasn't his little girl anymore. The last moment when she really was a child passed in a flicker. He cleared his throat. He was being ridiculous. April had been an adult for 4 years. She stopped being little mentally when she was five, physically when she was seven. He was a sentimental fool.

"Let see it then," Lorelai directed the attention towards her, seeming to understand that he needed a moment to collect himself. April flipped open her diploma binder and Lorelai let out a low noise of appreciation. "Such impressive letterage Ms Bachelor of Science. April Nardini-Danes S.B. Why is it SB shouldn't it be BS?" She let out a little chortle. "or BSc?"

"It's Latin. Scientiae Baccalaureus." April explained, "we're like Harvard, but BS and SB mean the same."

"Ahh! So it's just pretenscious then," Lorelai took a step back so Richard and Emily could take a closer look and offer their congratulations. "But it is better then BS because that…"

"Would you stop?" Luke looked at her pleadingly. She gave him a cheeky smile. "I'm good now. You can stop."

"Good. So lets go get some pictures taken and then I have a video from your younger sisters and brother and then we go eat and your Dad can decide which photos go on the wall. He very particular about how he is lit." Lorelai took a step backwards as if trying to entice the group out of the seating area.

"The wall!" April looked at him in alarm. "Dad you're not going to put stuff up in the diner again are you?"

"Super proud!" Lorelai called taking another step backwards.

"Maybe for a week or so. It will stop people bothering you," Luke pointed out. He nodded happily as April seemed to consider his suggestion.

"Two photos. I pick them." April offered beginning to follow Lorelai out of the seating area.

"I make my suggestions, you pick from those." Luke countered, taking a step back to let Emily go first before walking forward when Richard offered for him to go next.

"Fine," April rolled her eyes.

She did her happy jump skip again and bounced after Lorelai. He watched as the pair of them locked arms and Lorelai began to steer April through the crowd to a leafy area that would perfect for photographs. Distracted by his wife and daughter he nearly jumped out of his skin when Richard placed his large hand on his shoulder.

"Congratulations Luke," Richard offered falling into step alongside him.

"What? Why are you congratulating me" Luke looked at his father in law blankly.

"Because you nurtured her curiosity. Supported her interests. She's going to make a real difference. That is because of you," Richard smiled warmly at him. "She's a real credit to you."

"Um…" Luke fumbled, sideswiped by the sincerity in Richard's voice and the idea that any of April's success was down to him. When she got going on a subject he often barely understood a word of it. "Thanks," he accepted the complement even though he felt it was misdirected. "I guess we better get on with these pictures."

"Yes, we best. Between them, Lorelai and Emily have us on quite a schedule and I would like to change before the restaurant. It will be a pleasant change to dress down for the evening. I even have a pair of jeans, much to Emily's horror," Richard gave an amused chuckle and then clapped his hands and moved forward. "Come along Lucas, we need to get this father daughter picture."

"Yeah," Luke followed with a smile. Grinning as he watched Lorelai take a video of April throwing her cap in the air. As April deftly caught her cap he caught her eye and she grinned back at him and it struck him once again that his daughter had never looked more free, more beautiful, more happy then she had in this moment. When he blinked he found that tears had started to leak down his cheeks and despite the fact that he was in public surrounded by people he didn't care one bit.


	17. The Sky goes on Forever

**AN - Thanks guys, a nice happy chapter even if tinged a little by Anna being Anna, but it is her loss (and perhaps more importantly Luke got to go to April's graduation, AYITL made me think he didn't get to go, but anyhoos). Proud papa, proud grandparents, proud Lorelai. Guest I'm really sorry your Mother missed you graduations, that sucks, especially after all your hard work.**

 **Anyway as I mentioned on the last chapter I will be away for a little bit, so please enjoy this purely fluffly chapter that doesn't really add anything apart from cutesyness but I wanted to right it and as I am mistress of this particular alternate I can so anyway I hope you enjoy. Hopefully I should be back in a few weeks but it depends on healing/ ability to think. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the interlude in Wolfeboro.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 – The Sky goes on Forever**

"The Lakehouse!" Willow crowed excitedly.

Lorelai scrunched up her nose in delight. "Yeah, and it looks like Grandma and Grandpa are here." Lorelai smiled; as if by design her parents had emerged from their stunning lakehouse to greet them. Both of them wore their version of casual clothing, which matched in an endearing, old person way; with linen pants and white button downs. Her Mom was wearing a sun hat with a ridiculously wide brim, while her Dad was clearly risking it and was a rather pink colour already. "We've got sun screen haven't we?"

"3 bottles." Luke told her, carefully parking the minivan so there would be enough space to fit April's and Rory's cars when they arrived. "A bottle of the super thick stuff for them, to start off with, and two of the 30." He set the car in neutral and exhaled. "That is a long drive."

"I know Hun but you did amazingly. Didn't he gang? Daddy did so good driving all that way." She grinned in delight as the children cheered loudly. "Now what do you say we get out and have some fun?" She climbed out of the car and slid open the side door. Grace was desperately trying to get out of her child seat. "All these straps," Lorelai deftly undid the clasp and freed their youngest and held out her hands. "Come on Shortcake. It's Lakehouse time. You remember being here?"

Grace gave her a disapproving look before she jumped from the car into Lorelai's arms and wrapped her legs around Lorelai's waist. "Mommy I'm four," she stated as if that explained everything.

"That you are," Lorelai released the mechanism that allowed the twins out of the back of the minivan. "We're going to have so much fun. Just lake and sky forever. Hopefully it stays like this so we can have fun in the sun all week long."

"And smores," Kitty stated hoping down. "I really wanna have smores!"

"Me too Bubba, me too," Lorelai booped Kitty on the nose and waved her towards the house. Checking that Willow was getting out Luke's side she closed the door. "You want to walk?"

"No," Grace snuggled into her. "I'm sleepy."

"All that driving, huh?" Lorelai bounced her youngest and walked round the back of the minivan. Richard and Emily were already herding the children inside. Lorelai smiled as she met Luke at the back of the minivan, he was rolling his shoulders and stretching out his legs. "Good job Hun. Shortcake is tired don't know how you feel."

"All that driving," Grace told him dramatically. She lifted her head from Lorelai's shoulder. Slowly the child reached out indicating to Luke that she wanted him to hold her. With well-practiced ease Lorelai transferred her to Luke's arms. "Good job Daddy," Grace pressed a kiss into his cheek and then snuggled into him.

"Thanks Gracie, but don't go to sleep." Luke rubbed her back. "You wanna stay with me while I wait for April?"

"Kay," Grace muttered. She lifted her head off his shoulder. "She's getting mallmars."

"Lorelai!"

Lorelai gave a shrug and a cheeky grin. "She asked me if I needed anything. I told her I needed mallomars, and to make sure we had smore supplies. She's picking a few things up, that's all," she rubbed his arm, his arms looking so much stronger when they were flexed and holding their daughter. "She won't be long. You keep Daddy company," she kissed Grace on the cheek. "I'm gonna go make sure that everything is OK inside." She paused for a moment inhaling deeply, they air was clear and smelt of the woods. It was a unique smell for her to appreciate but her parents lake house always made her appreciate nature, even if she was sat in luxury enjoying it. "I like it here," she murmured before letting go of Luke's arms.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Dad, it's there. It's that one," Gigi's hand waved insistently from the back of the car, pointing towards the, more concealed then last year, sign that indicated the driveway to the Gilmore's lakehouse.

"He knows Gigi," Rory caught Gigi's hand. Tenderly she pressed a kiss onto the back of Gigi's hand. She understood Gigi's desperation. They had driven from Baltimore. 500 miles. In 90 degree heat. Journey time was coming up for 9 and a half hours; not counting the stops they'd made along the way for eating and comfort breaks. Gigi was frazzled by the journey and Rory knew it was more then just length and duration. Her anxiety at being in cars usually came out when they were in stop start traffic or they had seen accidents, both of which they had on the journey.

Spencer knew it too and he took the driveway a little faster then she would like. When they made the final turn and the house came into view he slowed. Gigi ripped her hand out of Rory's and opened her door before Spencer had even come to a full stop. She sprinted away from the car towards the house for safety. Rory swallowed down the bubbling feeling of guilt in her throat. She had been the one who wanted to drive. It meant they had the car and had freedom. Plus she and Spencer enjoyed road trips. "We should have flown," she whispered as she undid her belt, her eye trained intently on Gigi she had collided with Lorelai, who had come out to greet them and was now hugging Gigi tightly. "I'm such an idiot."

"We're both idiots." Spencer gave her a weak smile. "I didn't think about it either. She's been fine for a while."

"Yeah." Rory let out a heavy sigh and released her belt. Grabbing her purse she pushed out of the car. "Gigi." she called scurrying round the car and rushing towards the porch. "Baby, I'm sorry."

Gigi responded by letting go of Lorelai and slamming into her. Rory took a step back with the force and then held her tightly. "Hi Mom."

"Hi Babe," Lorelai gave her a weak smile and then brushed a tendril of hair out of her eyes with tenderness. "I think we need a snack," she took a step forward indicating she was not talking about food and folded herself around Gigi her arms tightly supporting Rory's back. After a minute Gigi started to wriggle and then squeezed out from between them, mumbling something about bathrooms. Lorelai closed the gap between them and transferred all her energy into a hug for her. "Hi Babe, was it bad?"

"I think it was length. I should have thought," Rory squeezed her Mom back. They stepped apart and Rory scanned Lorelai's face. Lorelai brow was creased with two tiny lines up near her hairline which meant something was bothering her. "Mom, that for Gigi or?" she pointed.

"Bit Gigi but a bit Kitty," Lorelai circled her hand to usher Rory into the house and then looped her arm around Rory's waist pushing her in. "We are currently in the throes of bedroom gate."

"Bedroom gate." Rory repeated, checking over her shoulder for Spencer, who waved her in with a 'go'.

"Noah and Noel," Lorelai began.

"The boy twins," Rory interjected to show that she knew who her mother was talking about.

"Uh huh. Well they just had their birthday and for their birthday they got their own rooms. Well, not just for their birthday, the family moved so they now have a room each. Anyway," Lorelai took a deep intake of breath. "Miss Justice and Fairness has her knickers in a twist about why does she and Willow have to always share when everyone else gets their own room. Sam and Grace are younger why do they get their own rooms. Ad infinitum."

"Ouch, how long?" Rory asked.

"Two weeks. A very long two weeks. The bee in her bonnet is buzzing up a storm" Lorelai scowled and released her arm around Rory and walked into the kitchen area where Luke was preparing food. "She's in proper grump mode because they have to share here too."

"Kitty?" Luke looked up. He paused the conversation to walk around the island to greet Rory properly giving her a warm squashy hug. "Hi," he kissed her temple and then let her go. "Your Mom filling you in on bedroom gate? Kits has got her babble ability and my rant ability." he picked up the knife he had been using and began to forcefully slice the mushrooms in front of him.

"Oh so you guys haven't had any fun then yet?" Rory grimaced.

"Oh everything is fine and hunky dory until anything bedroom related is mentioned and then grump mode is activated." Lorelai shook her head in dismay. "Her teenage years are gonna be so much fun. I need something sweet Hun. Gigi needs a pep," Lorelai rubbed Luke's shoulders and then moved to the cupboard that Luke nodded to. "They're all out doing a nature thing with April and Dad. Mom is having a nap."

"Is Grandma OK?" Rory looked at her Mom in surprise.

"Sorry forgot the air quotes," Lorelai smirked. "We had the fire pit last night."

"Gotta have those smores."

"Indeed," Lorelai continued. "She and Dad stayed up late, drinking most of a bottle of something and she is feeling delicate enough to not be able to handle excitable grandbabies. It was a shock to me. I'm surprised my mother isn't pickled at this point."

"Mom," Rory chuckled, she looked around as Gigi slunk out of the bathroom and held her arms open. Her clearly still upset daughter stepped into her arms and Rory pressed a kiss against her crown.

"You want jelly donut or a candy bar; we got milky way or snickers?" Lorelai offered the sweet treats.

"Split a milky way?" Rory rubbed Gigi's back. Gigi gave a faint nod. Rory held out her hand to take the chocolate bar. "So what should we do in relation to bedroom gate?"

"What's bedroom gate?" Gigi mumbled from her pressed against Rory position.

"Kitty is mad about having to always share a bedroom. It's a whole thing," Lorelai told her, taking another of the candy bars out of the box. Before she had a chance to unwrap it, Luke reached and took it from her placing it back in the box.

"It will be done in 30 minutes," Luke gestured at the food. "Candy is for treats and fighting dementors," he nodded at Gigi.

"You're on Prisoner of Azkaban?" Rory smiled.

"Nah, the Order of the bird one," Luke shrugged. He rolled his eyes at Lorelai's pouting face. "Jeez you think I deprive you. You had four donuts today."

"I did not have four," Lorelai scowled at him. "I had mine, and finished off Grace, Sam and April's so I probably only had two," she swiped at him. "Stop fat shaming me."

"I'm not fat shaming you," Luke shook his head. "You just don't need candy thirty minutes before dinner."

"Except for dementor purposes." Rory kissed Gigi's crown.

"If Kitty wants to swap with me. I don't mind," Gigi offered nibbling on the candy bar. "I don't mind sharing with Willow, we can talk about books."

"That my angel, may actually work." Lorelai gave Gigi a beaming smile. "Shall we offer it, or is that giving in?"

"I'd rather cave then have her in grump mode," Luke shrugged. "Bad parenting I know. But this is our holiday too."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai gently chewed her food the family had finally made it to dinner time half an hour later then was planned which had given her a sugar crash. Bedroom gate had concluded with Kitty accepting Gigi's offer, but that had meant taking all of Kitty's things down to the basement bedroom. Somehow in the day they had been at the lake house Kitty's belongings had managed to grow in number and disperse themselves around the house. After locating everything, moving it all downstairs and changing the sheets on both beds she was feeling frustrated and she couldn't even do her mini argue with Luke that led to snuggling or her 'I just got to look at some paperwork/I have a dress to finish' which gave her the twenty minutes of peace that she usually took when she needed to recharge. Holidays were great and all but it wasn't exactly relaxing.

"This really is wonderful," Richard called from the top of the table as he reached across to get himself another portion of potatoes.

"Richard you don't need any more," Emily scowled at him from her end. "There is dessert after."

"We shouldn't waste them," Richard shot Emily an annoyed look.

"Woah, woah there guys, I am not a fan of tennis," Lorelai quipped. She caught her mother's eye and then gestured with her own towards the children, half of whom were paying attention to the tiny argument. "And there won't be any waste. Luke does awesome leftovers."

"So you don't need seconds," Emily shot, earning her a scoff from Richard.

"Mom," Lorelai cast a warning glare at Emily, conscious that the kids had now all stopped eating to take interest in what was going on. Her mother had always picked on her Dad about what he ate. But spending the last twenty four hours with her parents had let her see just how obsessive and fixated Emily had become about it. All Emily's needling made her father do the opposite of what he was supposed to when it came to his diet. Her father had never been a small man but he had definitely become more substantial over the last few years. "So Dad. You're actually properly retired now?"

"No, I'm still teaching one course this next semester, and I have one Phd student who has yet to submit. Somchai, but he should, should be the operative word, be submitting in January. I want to see him through. Sweet boy, very nervous though." Richard carved up his potatoes "But in comparison to last semester when I taught three classes it shall be a breeze."

"It's only taken him twelve years to retire since the first time he retired," Emily added making a point of neatly placing her knife and fork in a straight line on her plate.

"I shan't be fully retiring. I shall invigilate on exams. One must not be a total man of leisure," Richard chuckled. "I would completely go to seed." He slapped his stomach with a jovial chuckle. "And I don't see you giving up your foundation any time soon."

"Oi with the tennis again," Lorelai waved her hands. "You two need to play for real. I bet the Williams sister have got nothing on you. So. Someone who isn't going to argue start a conversation."

"I played tennis last semester," Gigi piped in. "I sucked at it. I either couldn't get it over the net or I hit it way out of the court. There was no in between."

"Ah, you have our sporting prowess." Lorelai gestured between her and Rory. "We suck at sports."

"I don't," Kitty added. "But I like creative sports. Tennis is boring. Back and forth, back and forth and the scoring is dumb."

"Why?" Grace asked, sliding down her chair which Lorelai knew meant the youngest of the clan was done and would soon be trying get down.

"Because it goes, 15, 30, 40 then you get a point but if you both get 40 then you get advantage. It's not a number," Kitty rolled her eyes in disgust. "I like watching baseball with Daddy. It's better than football."

"Football sucks. The only good bit about it is tailgating." Lorelai grimaced, she noted Sam's mildly pained face across the table. "But everyone should play and watch what they like."

"I like watching football," Sam mumbled. "When it's with you Grandpa."

"Would you like to go to the Harvard Yale game with me again this year?" Richard smiled at his grandson. His smile reached peak brightness as Sam gave an eager nod. "Very good. I will make sure we have a ticket for you."

"Grace," Luke called as Grace suddenly disappear from her chair. "People are still eating."

"I know," Grace resurfaced beside Emily, the little girls blue eyes slowly rising over the equator of the table. "But Granma's done and I want a cuddle."

"It's fine, she's got this. She knows how to play it." Lorelai shrugged, Emily was completely under the spell of her youngest granddaughter. She smirked as Emily pulled Grace onto her lap. "My how the mighty have fallen. Miss Manners would have a fit."

Emily's face hardened for a moment, a sheepish expression fluttering over it before she gave a sigh. She cuddled Grace into her. "Yes well, you should really wait for everyone to finish, but we are on holiday."

"This holiday business sure is a good excuse," Lorelai chuckled. "Hey Babe can we…"

"No," Luke cut her off, setting his own knife and fork on his plate. "Whatever it is it will be dumb."

"Or gross," Rory interjected.

"Yeah." Luke nodded knowledgeably. "It's easier to say no. Even though you will do it anyway, and would have done it holiday or not."

"True, true," Lorelai nodded. She gave her husband a cheeky grin. "I'm definitely doing 'that'."

"It's gross," Rory grimaced putting her own fork down in disgust.

"Oh really Rory," Kitty sounded with a world-weary sigh. "Mommy and Daddy have married people cuddles all the time."

"Yeah," Willow added. "All the time." She looked at her older sister sagely then up at Lorelai, "Married people cuddles is really sex, and sex makes babies. We learned it in school."

"And on that note," Lorelai dropped her own fork. "That wasn't what I was talking about."

"If you married people cuddle makes babies. Can I have a brother then, so I'm not the only boy?" Sam looked at her hopefully.

"Ok, on that note," Luke relinquished his own fork. "Who wants to help me with pie?"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Grandpa. Come see."

Richard looked up at the sound of Sam's delighted voice. The children were crowded around something under the watchful eye of April who was crouched with an object in her hand. He set is newspaper to one side and made his way down from the porch to where the children were in the trees. He grimaced for a moment and then managed to force his face into an expression of interest. April was holding up a small boulder, beneath the boulder there was bugs and creepy crawlies swarming around in horror at their home being removed. Grace seemingly had the same idea as he did, the four year old scrambled over to him, her arms grabbing at his. "You want to come up," Richard guessed. He hefted the child onto his hip. "It all looks very interesting Samuel."

"It looks very gross," Willow mumbled taking a step back to join him.

"Yeah," Kitty followed walked behind Richard.

Richard smiled down at Sam. The little boy was looking at him, thoroughly bewildered that people wouldn't find the bugs interesting. "You don't like them Grandpa?"

"I'm not much of a bug man I have to admit," Richard told him softly. "Why don't we go look for fossils?"

Sam's expression changed from bewilderment to disbelief. "Grandpa. This is New Hampshire, there's no fossils here. I looked it up," his little face pulled into an excited expression and he jumped up, the bugs seemingly forgotten. "Can we go where there is fossils Grandpa? Could we do that?" April dropped the stone with a loud thump. "Oh did you kill them?" Sam turned back his face distressed.

"Perhaps," Richard lowered Grace to the ground the little one wanting her freedom now the bugs were gone. "To a place to find fossils. I'm sure the bugs are fine."

"I hope so," Sam looked nervously at the stone with it's potential for bug murder and then after a beat looked towards the sparkling lake. "Can we throw stones Grandpa?"

"A solid plan," Richard wafted his free arm towards the water. "Let us all throw stones and see who can get it the furthest."

* * *

 **xXx**

"How far is this place?" Rory grumbled. She shielded her eyes, finding that her sunglasses weren't doing much to protect her eyes. She looked left to her mother walking along beside her in Emily's ridiculously large brimmed sun hat which now was not looking so ridiculous.

"It didn't seem that far when we drove in," Lorelai told her trying to keep in the shade.

"Well your spatial awareness has always sucked," Rory pointed out. They continued to walk along the side of the road for a few minutes sparing back and forth over how hot it was, who was hotter and how far they had walked when finally the side of the road became a sidewalk. "Is that it?" Rory pointed to a white washed building a little way into town. Brightly coloured chalk boards obnoxiously announced to the world what the building sold.

"That's it," Lorelai's pace quickened and she wrapped her arm around Rory's waist. "Ice cream sundaes and milkshakes. Come on."

"It's too hot to walk so fast," Rory moaned as her Mom dragged her along.

"When did you become my mother?" Lorelai teased, pausing at the junction to wait for the traffic lights to go in their favour.

"We have always been middle aged and pathetic," Rory pointed out jiggling her leg as they waited in the baking heat.

"Middle aged and pathetic are not synonyms," Lorelai scowled at her. When the lights changed they scurried across, unsure how long they would have. "I'm seriously tempted to give you guys that brother to prove that I am still young. That is if I could handle a whole pregnancy again."

"Is that even a possibility?" Rory asked, instantly regretting it when Lorelai shot her a wounded look. "Sorry, but isn't it just super hard to get pregnant past a certain age."

"Anything is apparently possible until 2 years after your last period and those are still about at present," Lorelai held the door open. "That is why we keep Big Bert covered so no other patters of feet turn up."

Rory stopped in her tracks the door swinging closed on her. She caught the door at the last moment preventing herself getting hit in the face by door and then followed Lorelai over to a booth. "You do not…Big…please tell me that is not what you…" she dropped into the seat and then dropped her head into her hands. "That is so gross."

"And so made up," Lorelai snatched a menu and peered into it, squinting a tiny amount at the small print. "Worth it for the look on your face and to get you back for the underhanded comment about my age."

"It was not underhanded just unintended," Rory grabbed her own menu and scanned what was on offer. "Besides it's the third time it's come up in the last 24 hours. I was beginning to wonder if you and Luke had something to tell us."

"God no," Lorelai shook her head dramatically. She carefully set the hat to one side and shook out her long dark hair. "We didn't even want Grace. I mean once she happened we did but no, no, no, no. Unless that is some crack about my weight in which case. Mean!"

"It wasn't," Rory set her menu down. "I really wasn't. You are super combative today. I feel like I need armour."

"It's the heat, and the lack of sleep. Kitty ended up in bed with us last night." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "All this I need my space business she's still just a baby when it comes to sleeping by herself."

"Well has she ever slept by herself?" Rory asked. Lorelai shook her head and then looked back down at the menu. "Are we sharing or getting our own?" Rory asked looking down at her menu.

"I want a sundae, probably the choco river one. That sounds gross enough to be good. You?"

"The strawberry surprise," Rory picked, she closed her menu and looked at Lorelai while they waited to be served. "Has Sookie called you back yet?"

"Kinda," Lorelai wriggled uncomfortably. "She called. I missed her. I called her she missed me. But Michel has spoken to her."

"So she knows everything," Rory grimaced in anticipation.

"She knows everything which is probably why she hasn't called me back." Lorelai exhaled heavily, her whole upper body raising up and then sagging. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"Are you moving on with the spa idea?" Rory asked, she paused as a waitress dressed in pink polyester rushed over to them. "Hi."

"Hi ladies. We have a couple specials if you want to hear them?"

"No thanks. I'll have the Strawberry surprise with a lemonade," Rory ordered.

"And I'll have the Choco river with a coke float," Lorelai poked her menu back in the holder, "and is it possible to buy 6 empty waffle cones to go?"

"No ice cream?" the waitress looked at her bemused.

"It would melt before we got home, but the kids would enjoy an ice cream that wasn't on a stick or in a bowl."

"Alright," The waitress turned around. "I'll get that for ya."

"Who's the six for?" Rory asked after a moment of mental math

"The four little ones, Gigi and April. if she wants," Lorelai shrugged. "In answer to your earlier question. Tom is doing an estimate for me and I have a meeting with a bank scheduled and if all goes to plan and I get credit, I then have to jump through the hoops that Taylor might put in my way. If I can't get credit we're going to look into turning the space into a function hall, we'd be able to hold bigger weddings and conferences. But for that I need Sookie, because that is part of the Dragonfly."

"You wouldn't try get credit for that?" Rory asked.

"No, Tom reckons to do that it's maybe 30k but if we park it for a couple years that is what we were spending on Cletus and staff costs and stuff anyway so." Lorelai shrugged again and started to fiddle with her nails. "We didn't wade through this heat to talk about work though. I want some Mommy and me time."

"Isn't that what we're having now?" Rory reasoned. "We're just talking. Two working gals shooting the breeze," she stopped as she saw the minute scrunch of her Mom's nose and understood. Lorelai didn't want to talk about work. She was still too raw from dealing, or not dealing with Sookie. "Was it this hot last year?"

"No it rained three days straight," Lorelai straightened looking relieved. "Not that the kids minded the grey sky and the rain, they were running around like the crazy things they are."

"And then the sun came out and Luke got super bad tan lines from his sun glasses," Rory chuckled at the memory. Luke had tanned well going a deep golden brown except for two oblongs around his eyes which had been pale giving him the impression of a reverse raccoon.

"I teased him about that for weeks."

Rory leaned across the table. "Better topic?"

"Much better topic."

* * *

 **xXx**

"How many stars you think?" Kitty asked. The child leaned back into Luke and looked up at the sky. "I never seen so many, there aren't these many at home."

"There are," April explained from across the fire. "It's light pollution from town. It means we can't see so many. If we were out in the middle of the desert we would see even more."

"Wait," Willow raised her head from Emily's shoulder. "The twinkle lights means we can't see real twinkle lights?"

"Pretty much," April poked the fire with a stick sending up a shower of embers into the night sky.

"That's sad," Willow whispered and rested her head back on Emily's shoulder.

Emily cuddled her granddaughter to her. Tonight, as with every night, they had ended the day out by the fire pit, the children, worn out by a day of running about, had taken up residence on an adults lap and they all sat as the night closed around them and the rest of the world seemed to drift off into the noise of nature. "I think Gracie is asleep," Emily told Willow nodding over to the youngest in Lorelai's lap.

"Nearly," Lorelai whispered, gently rocking the youngest from side to side.

"Young Samuel is," Richard whispered.

Emily smiled at the sight, their grandson, a child of perfectly average height and weight for his age looked tiny on Richards lap. Sam had curled himself into a little ball. His face pressed against Richard's chest "You're Mother used to sleep like that when we would go on vacation."

"I did," Lorelai looked at Emily curiously. "I don't remember."

"Oh you were only little, about Grace's age if not a bit younger. We had gone to Martha's vineyard and every night when we were trying to enjoy some wine out on the veranda you would sneak out and jump onto his lap and then just curl up in a little ball."

"You sat and watched the sky too," Willow whispered, her voice thick with tiredness, the sound of a child awake past their bedtime but fighting it.

"We did. We wanted to spend time together. Just like now." She pressed a kiss into Willow's cheek. "Go to sleep Precious, the stars will still be there tomorrow."

"Kay," Willow mumbled weakly, giving up her fight to stay awake.

"And then there was one," Lorelai smiled at the still perfectly awake Kitty.

"Gigi isn't asleep," Kitty pointed out the child perched on the bench between April and Rory.

"I'm older then you are," Gigi pointed out. "Was that a shooting star?" she gasped out excitedly.

"Satellite I think," Emily glanced up at Gigi's pointing finger.

"Emily is right. Just a satellite. Shooting stars tend to have a little tail, but if you see a shooting star you must wish on it. I saw one once," Richard spoke softly, careful not to disturb Sam. "I made a wish and it came true."

"What you wish for Grandpa?" Rory asked lifting her eyes away from the fire. "If it's come true you don't need to worry about keeping it a secret."

"I wished for family," Richard gave Emily a watery smile. "It was 1967. One month later Emily fell pregnant with Lorelai, and now look what we have."

"That's cute Dad," Lorelai cuddled Grace to her.

Emily returned Richard's watery smile and kissed the air, sending him a kiss. She remembered that night nearly fifty years ago now. Richard being ridiculous about a shooting star and the only way she had been able to make him shut up about it was to distract him in the only way she had known back then. Whether it was magic or simply coincidence they got what they had been wishing for in the years since their marriage. And just over nine months later they had had Lorelai. Neither of them had expected how their life would turn out but lack of sons and the family trauma of the 80s and 90s had given way to some wonderful times. She cuddled Willow to her, just as she had for many years with Lorelai before her daughter had begun to hate her. She closed her eyes and smelled the top of Willows hair. It smelt like strawberry. Lorelai had always smelt of apple, it was the only difference between them in the dark. The weight and warmth were the same, the soft skin, fluttery hair, all the same. Just thirty eight years apart

She opened her eyes as she heard the sound of a stifled snigger. Lorelai was laughing at something, probably her and in the gloom Emily bristled for a moment. "Should we take them up to bed?"

"No," Luke shook his head trying to get Kitty to sit back. "Kits wants to watch the stars."

"Yeah Grandma," Kitty settled back against Luke, raising her hand to try and count the stars. "I like looking at the sky. It's so pretty."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai grinned as she pottered around the kitchen cleaning up the mess of lunch while listening to the children chattering with her parents in the living room. Rory, Spencer and April had gone off in search of a bar to have some young adult time away from the kids as it had been full on overload with them for the entire week. She placed the last plate in the drainer and looked across at the plate neatly covered with foil. Luke had gone fishing for the day, or more to the point had been sent fishing by Richard and Emily; so he could 'enjoy' the great outdoors and doing what he liked to do. She knew he had only gotten as far as the edge of the property, wanting to be around if he was needed. She picked up the plate and looked out the window. Making a decision she stepped into her father's eyeline, pointed at the plate and then indicated outside. Richard nodded not missing a beat of the conversation he had going on with the children.

Lorelai slipped outside and carefully picked her way across the rough stony ground, through the trees until she reached Luke's little bolt hole for the day. He was sat in his chair, fishing rod lazily in one hand, a half-drunk beer in the other staring out at the lake. "Catch anything yet?" Luke looked up startled, his eyes darted back and forth from her to the water. "Sorry Hun" Lorelai smiled at him apologetically and made her way over the last few stones to him. "I wanted to bring you your lunch. Don't worry, Rory and April made them." She held him the plate and smiled down at him as he finally seemed to gather his composure. "You having fun or are you stewing over being sent away?"

"I stewed for a bit. Then I liked it. The quiet, it's nice. I forget about it sometimes." He took the plate and peeled back the wrapping.

"You have a lot of noise generators."

"I do." He gave her a smirk to tell her she was included in that. Luke leaned over and set the plate on the top of his cooler. He held out his hand indicating for her to join him.

"You sure?" She asked gingerly approaching and just as carefully sinking down onto his knee. The chair did not budge and she relaxed into him. "It's nice here, a nice secluded spot. Pretty even if the fishing is lousy."

"Pretty lousy." Luke pulled her in tighter. "Been a good break."

"Yeah," Lorelai mumbled her attention drawn out to the sparkling water. "I almost want to go for a swim."

"I'll get you in there one year, more than just paddling." Luke nuzzled his face into the curve of her neck, she giggled lightly. "Sorry."

"It's OK. Just ticklish today," she instantly regretted saying it as he tickled his hands up her arm. She tried to squirm away. "Don't even."

"Even what?" Luke teased.

"You know what," Lorelai swiped her hand against his chest. "Don't."

"OK," he placed his tickling hand on her thigh and started gently stroking it.

"Luke my parents are in the house, not to mention the babies and grandbaby," Lorelai whispered, his hand trailing higher. "and I really don't want Sam to have a brother."

"Yeah," Luke stopped breathing out slowly, "but," he glanced over his shoulder towards the house, half hidden by the trees, "we can cuddle and stuff. Nothing higher then PG13."

"Ok, I'll go to second base with you. We can live dangerously, risk being discovered, by our children and my parents."

"Well they know we have married people cuddles a lot," Luke smirked. "Nothing gets past them."

"Nothing." Lorelai lifted his hat from his head and threw it to one side so she could run her fingers through his hair. "Happy holiday Hun."

"Back at ya crazy lady."


	18. Wrangling and Replanting

**AN - Thank you guys I'm glad you enjoyed their summer trip, I know it was a bit of a weird place to pause but better then a cliff hanger or what is coming in the next few chapters :( . Surgery went ok, just recovering which is a bit gross but doing OK. Elang - I cut the scene of them in the bar, lol, it just didn't help the flow and the chapter was super long, I fugured the Lorelai Rory scene was more important then the older kid gen section. Doh. Droolia - Thank you so much, I try, I sort of play it out in my head and try and write that. So pleased it comes across. Anyway. onwards. As ever all my own work so any mistakes my own, reviews are always welcome and gratefully recieved, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. x**

* * *

 ** Chapter 18 – Wrangling and Replanting**

"So all she is doing is planting trees? What about the plastics initiative?" Emily paused in her eating of Friday night dinner to look across at Lorelai and then Luke for clarification. "And she's living in a tent?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded. "And earning 11 Canadian cents a tree. This week she broke even. Next week she's hoping to actually earn money," she glanced across the table at Luke and grinned at him. April had been in Canada to a week, the first step of her experience year. She was spending 6 weeks planting fledgling trees in Alberta. April was buzzing with excitement, even after a week of excruciating physical work. To Lorelai it had just sounded like a horror movie and she found herself whole heartedly agreeing with the look of incredulity on her mother's face. "She's hoping to make about 2 thousand dollars."

"Our dollars?" Richard enquired his brows creased, looking as if he too could not fathom quite why his granddaughter had embarked on this particular excursion.

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded. "She's happy."

"Even so, living in a tent for 6 weeks?" Emily shook her head in dismay.

"She wants to help replenish the canopy," Luke recited. "It's not about money or comfort. It's about helping replace boreal forest"

"Dad of the year memorised the marketing package," Lorelai gestured at Luke. "The plastic initiative is something she is going to get on at Taylor about when she gets back. Her other placement fell through, but she's looking for things and there is a job down in Washington she's applied for. She's going to be a busy bee."

"She wants to save the bees," Willow stated. Her lower lip trembled slightly and she let out a heavy sigh. "Bees are dying."

"That's why we have the wild garden," Lorelai explained; the wild garden was a small patch of grass at the edge of the property that April had insisted on letting be wild and had sown wildflowers. Lorelai knew that Luke had agreed to it because it meant he didn't have to mow the entirety of the lawn, though it did create a nice little spot to sit.

"Bees are still dying," Willow sighed again and then looked across at Emily. "Don't worry Grandma April really is happy. She facetimed us and she was smiling."

"Yes, hard as it is to accept Mom, April enjoys walking in the baking heat planting trees," Lorelai reached over to Grace to try and coax the child to east some of the concoction that they had been served tonight. She wasn't sure what it was, some kind of meaty rice dish, which looked disgusting but was by far one of the best meals she had eaten at her parents' house. All the meals this particular maid cooked were, even they weren't entirely sure what had been prepared. Unfortunately half of her children ate with their eyes and had barely touched the meal. As she reached to try to load up Grace's fork the maid, who was possibly the longest serving maid her parents had ever had appeared out of the kitchen with some plates in her hand. Silently the woman crossed to Grace and set the plate in front of her and took her barely touched main meal. The maid then walked around the table to Willow and did the same before vanishing off into the kitchen without a word. Grace sat forward suddenly interested in her food, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on fluffy white bread with the crusts cut off. Lorelai cast a look across at Willow, her other daughter equally pleased with her own cheese and ham sandwich on white but with the crusts on and cucumber slices on the side. She looked across at Emily for some kind of explanation but her mother looked entirely nonplussed by the entire silent interaction. Deciding it wasn't worth questioning as the kids were happy Lorelai let it go and continued with her own meal.

"Grandpa." Sam spoke into the silence. "Can we got to the Jurassic Coast to look for fossils?"

Richard answered with a bemused chuckle.

"Where is the Jurassic coast?" Luke asked before anyone else had a chance to answer.

"Weymouth."

"Massachusetts?"

"Dorset, in England," Richard gave Sam a benevolent smile. "That is rather a big trip, Samuel… But…"

"But?" Lorelai's eyebrows rose.

"Your mother and I will be going to Europe next year, perhaps we could go in the school holidays and…"

"Richard we can't go to Europe in the school holidays," Emily set her knife and fork down, "the cost for the whole family would be astronomical."

"But it wouldn't be in the Fall?" Lorelai shot at her. "Little Man, we will add it to your bucket list. OK. Maybe we can plan a big trip when everyone is older like I did with Rory though without the backpacking and staying in hostels part."

"Ok Mommy," Sam looked crestfallen, and looked down at his lap.

"Perhaps though, we could visit the dinosaur museum in Maryland. Next Summer," Richard offered.

Sam's face brightened in excitement. "Just us? The girls think fossils are boring," he rolled his eyes.

"I don't see why not. Your grandmother could do something with the girls," Richard chuckled. "We have a year to plan it, jut us boys."

Sam leaned forward and scooped a large spoonful of the dinner in front of him. "I'm gonna plan so good." He grinned as he chewed his food, meaning that a fair amount spread around his face and down his napkin bib that Luke had thoughtfully tucked into Sam's shirt. Lorelai surreptitiously glanced at Emily and while she could see her lips were thinly pressed together she wasn't saying anything. She switched her eyes to the other end of the table and realised why, her father was glowing with the promise of spending time with 'his' boy.

* * *

 **xXx**

"So," Lorelai spread her hands across the massive sheet of paper. She had drawn a grid, a column headed by each of the children's names and enough rows to take them back to the promised land of back to school. The long hot summer had already been going for a few weeks and it stretched out seemingly in infinity. Not that the children seemed to mind. She on the other hand was already looking forward to them going back. As awful as it was to admit, she liked her routine structured around school, it worked, it made their chaotic life manageable and realistically she had used it to plan her adult life since Rory had started school. School was manageable, summer holidays was a cacophony of reciprocal play dates to support other working Mom's in the same childcare predicament, ensuring they had enough time together and when all else failed, the expensive day camp.

"So," Luke drew his chair alongside and scanned the paper. "What about Wills on that Wednesday?" he pointed to a square two weeks from now. Other than two Wednesdays she had managed to get the twins into the day camp. One of them Kitty had an ice skating practice day which just left Willow, the other was the last week of holidays, when the camp was over because the school was open for staff in preparation for the new year.

"I have irons in the fire with Ava Fisher's Mom but if not I'm hoping that Mom will take her, have a little one on one time. And if Mom is too busy she can come to the inn. She can park in the library" Lorelai scribbled on a post it note and stuck the bright pink square in the grid Luke had pointed to. "The big week, when I have to work because of the wedding of the century…" She rolled her eyes and gestured to the final week before the children went back to school. It was a major sticking point. This sweet couple who wanted a quiet wedding had morphed into the bride and groom from hell who kept changing their plans every time they spoke, but they had block booked the entire inn for the entire week and were spending an absolute fortune so she was going to have to be on hand as wedding planner because there was every danger that Michel would actually kill them if left alone with them. "Maisy can take them on Monday, you're taking the day off Tuesday. Wednesday, Sam and Grace are at Hannah's, Miss Patty might be doing something and she's promised the twins slots if she does. If not Mrs Kim of all people has offered to take them so they will be turning Amish or whatever. Thursday and Friday my parents are taking them. Saturday, Lane glorious Lane is in town and is going to take the 4 of them to whatever this hoopla in town is and then it will be done and they are back, and it's just going to be me and Shortcake," she pushed her lip out in a pout.

Sam started kindergarten this year. Her baby boy would officially be a little boy. Her nerves about him fitting in about making friends were already starting to hit her. She had had them with Rory, but she had found Lane on the first day. She had had them with the twins, but Kitty was this irrepressible ball of energy that even when she was being cheeky there was always someone adoring her and Willow had found friends by being Kitty's pair, and then found friends with the other little bookworms in her class. She was worried Sam's obsession with dinosaurs would single him out as weird but not in an endearing way. He wasn't into sports, none of the kids really played with devices that much, though all knew how to use them, he was sweet and kind. His playmates were his sisters and his grandfather. She didn't want him to get picked on for that.

"He's survived Kitty and Willow, he can survive a bunch of kids his age," Luke muttered seemingly understanding what she was thinking. "How come Mrs Kim said she would watch the twins?"

"I guess Lane. She ambushed me at Doose's, offering as a neighbour you understand," Lorelai mimicked Mrs Kim. "I want to be there though, I honestly think that Kitty is the one person that she may have met her match with."

Luke smirked and nodded. "You forgot next Thursday," he pointed at the square.

"What!" Lorelai pulled the paper nearer to her and let out a little scream of despair. Next Thursday was her meeting with the bank manager about getting a credit line opened for redeveloping the barn. It was the meeting that decided if she was opening her spa or if it would sit idle for a few years until they could turn it into a larger function area.

"I'll ask Arielle," Luke squeezed her shoulder. "She's only working the morning shift."

"I would love her forever," Lorelai stuck a blank post it on the square. "Urg child wrangling is exhausting," She peered down at her poster board. "Good thing I can plan with the best of them."

* * *

 **xXx**

"And what are we complaining about today?"

Lorelai bit the inside of her cheeks as Rory's less than jovial sounding voice filtered through her cellphone. "I have a word document crisis and I was hoping you can help?"

"How can you have a word document crisis?"

"Well, I moved an image and then all holy hell happened," Lorelai peered at her screen in annoyance. Her carefully laid out document now looked like a drunk person had produced it. "I go back and then try again and it happens again."

"I've experienced that joy myself," Rory spoke quietly. There was a rustle of paper at the other end. "Put the settings to square or inline."

"Ok," Lorelai mumbled uncertainly. She did as was suggested changing the setting and then moved the image to where she thought she wanted. Her document did not collapse into a heap. "Genius child you've done it!"

"Happy to help."

"Wait," Lorelai called out sensing that Rory was about to end the call. "How's you?"

"Same as last night."

"So pissed off with work and missing Gigi?" Lorelai guessed. Gigi had gone to spend a week with her maternal grandmother in Framingham, the one and only concession that Sherri had insisted on when she had signed over her parental rights to Rory. Gigi's relationship with Sheila became more strained each year. The older woman struggled to know what to talk about or how to engage with the grandchild that she still saw as a small child even though Rory and Spencer sent her regular updates and encouraged Gigi to call her. Gigi went because she felt she should but her text messages had reached a nearly constant level. Even Luke had received a few. "I promised her mani pedi's next time she's with us."

"She'll like that," Rory sighed. "She's got the whole guilt thing going. She hates being there but then feels guilty for hating it. Sheila's sweet but…"

"She still sees Gigi as five. I get it. I still see you as five," Lorelai sighed wistfully. "It amazes me to think you are 32 this year. I mean how in the actual…"

"Mommy," Lorelai paused as Willow skipped in delight into the kitchen, a closed book in her hands, "that Rory?" Willow rushed over to her. "I gotta talk to her."

Lorelai resisted for a moment and then mumbled into the phone. "We'll talk later. Willow wants to talk to you. Go on Honeybunch."

"Thanks Mommy," Willow took the phone in excitement. "Hi Rory. I finished _Secret Garden,_ you were so right." the child turned on her heels and skipped into the living room nattering a mile a minute about books with her sister.

Lorelai smiled as she watched Willow go, knowing that a conversation about books always put Rory in a good mood, and that there was nothing Rory liked better then spreading her sickness when it came to the consumption of books. Lorelai returned to her work finalising her presentation for the bank tomorrow.

"Mommy," Willow appeared back, her face slightly crestfallen, "it's beeping," she held out the cellphone.

Lorelai took it back from her. "Rory I gotta go. Sookie is calling."

"No worries, let me know how you get on," Rory clicked off.

Lorelai let the second call connect through. "Sookie?"

"Lorelai?"

"Hi," Lorelai greeted her friend breathily, her nervousness shining through. "How are you?"

"I'm OK, sunburnt, thought I put sunscreen on, instead it was the aftersun. I look like a beetroot."

"Ouch," Lorelai sympathised, she smiled at Willow who was watching her curiously. "And Jackson and the kids are good?"

"They're good. And yours?"

Lorelai could hear the apprehension in Sookie's voice. She tried to make her voice sound bright. "Enjoying summer. Willow is reading up a storm, she rivals Rory, and it is dawning on Sam he has to go to school in the Fall."

"He's starting school?" Sookie sounded surprised. "Oh yeah, I guess he is 5, isn't he?"

"Yeah, my babies really aren't babies anymore," Lorelai paused steeling herself for what she thought would come. She had played it over and over in her head, trying to imagine how it would go, panicking the longer the radio silence went on. "So?"

"So," Sookie took a sharp intake of breath. "I have some questions, if that is OK?"

"Yes," Lorelai nodded. Sookie was calm, it was a good sign, she supposed.

"How come you can just do this without me? I don't understand how you own the property but we both own the inn. The Inn is the property."

"We own the business together. The physical property I own…" Lorelai paused for a moment trying to think of the easiest way to explain. "When we bought it we needed to take out a mortgage and you didn't want it because of Davey being on the way and it meant you were personally tied. The business and all other business loans we took out as an incorporated company so there was separation. But I bought the property, and I pay the mortgage."

"We talked this through?" Sookie asked carefully.

"Yeah. You wanted the separation and to spend your money on the kitchen and restaurant, so we did. I spent most of my money on the deposit and then part of the demo. The rest was the loans."

There was a rustle at the end, the sound of a sheet of paper crinkling and Lorelai realised that Sookie was reading her questions off a sheet "If you open a spa I would not be linked to it in any way but if you open a function hall I would. Why?"

Lorelai cleared her throat needlessly just to give herself a few moments time. "Because if I open a function hall it would be still part of the Dragonfly inn business but with the spa I can open it as a separate business."

"Why now? You didn't want to work full time. Won't this be full time?"

"I didn't want to work full time because the kids were small and I wanted to be there for them and Luke. I won't be fulltime, just school time, it's just Grace for this year and when the redevelopment is ready she will be in school, probably…" Lorelai glanced at Willow who had not moved an inch, her daughter still studying her intently. Lorelai held out her arm to invite Willow into a hug. Willow didn't budge. Feeling scrutinised both by Willow and the call, Lorelai wriggled in her seat, her cheeks flushing a faint pink. "Plus Cletus died so we now have the space."

Sookie mumbled something unintelligible and made a humming noise. "It's not because I haven't come back?"

Lorelai looked down at her presentation pack on the screen. "I'm doing spa over function hall because you haven't come back. It's a great opportunity and it's hard to get consensus when you are not around. But if they say no and we go for the function area, you will involved."

"OK," Sookie whispered quietly. "I think you should try get the money for the spa."

"You do?" Lorelai sat up straighter. "You're ok with it?"

"What you said makes ..." Sookie paused, a long drawn out pause that made Lorelai feel unbearably tense. "It makes sense."

"Thanks Sookie." Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief. "Sookie?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think you will come back?" Lorelai asked apprehensively.

"I don't know, not for…" Sookie sighed. "I won't be back this year. You can sort the staff out. Michel said people were nervous."

"They were uncertain," Lorelai closed her eyes. She hadn't expected Sookie to say she would be back tomorrow but it hurt to hear her say she wasn't coming back imminently. She wondered if this was how Sookie had felt when she had stepped back, but at least she hadn't disappeared and was always contactable. "Can you do me a favour?"

Sookie was silent for a moment. "What?"

"Keep me posted, call me some time or respond to my texts. I hate the radio silence," Lorelai requested softly.

"I know, but I thought you were mad at me," Sookie's voice was small and childlike. "I didn't want you to be mad at me."

"I'm not mad, just frustrated but that doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you," Lorelai assured her. She heard a pleased intake of breath at the other end. "We're ok."

"We're OK," Sookie repeated and the let out a please little laugh. "I'll call you next week."

"Speak to you then," Lorelai smiled and then ended the call. The moment her cellphone hit the table top Willow was in her arms. She cuddled her daughter to her and Willow gave her a loving kiss. "Thanks Honeybunch."

"You're friends again," Willow smiled at her. She bounced on her toes and then leaned in for another kiss. "Now you can be happy because you know she's not mad at you."

"I'm happy," Lorelai tried to assure her, though she knew it was pointless, the twins always knew, knew things they didn't even understand. They're magical gift. "Rory give you some more books to read."

Willow nodded earnestly. "Can we go to the library? I've only got 1 left to read and Harry Potter but I need you or Daddy for that, they're getting really scary." She frowned. "I don't like it when people get hurt and die." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Mommy I know magic with wands and stuff isn't real, but stories are based on real things, aren't they? So there are people like He-who-should-not-be-named, and the Malfoys and Bellatrix Lestrange and Professor Umbridge. Actual real people who do horrible things to other people and think horrible things about people," her brows knitted together but she didn't pause for breath instead the words shooting out like a bullet from a gun. "You hear about things and I know April has people say horrible things said to her because she likes girls but…" she paused and took a deep breath clearly processing something. "Sometimes when you read a story even when it's not real, it seems really real and it's scary. It's scary that there are people like them."

Lorelai took a deep breath and held her hand out. As a change the subject went, man's inhumanity to man was a doozy. Willow crept back into her arms and Lorelai cuddled her tightly. "There are people like that but there are also people like Professor McGonagall and Molly Weasley and all the other members or Order of the Pheonix. All the other heroes and heroines in your stories. You are surrounded by good. We live in a snow globe. Stars Hollow is the best places in the world."

"I know Mommy," Willow kissed her, "but everywhere isn't Stars Hollow." With a last kiss the little girl gave her a knowing if slightly subdued smile. "I'm glad you and Sookie are friends again," and just like that she was fine again skipping off to get her last remaining book.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked up as Lorelai and the kids crowded into the diner. Lorelai and Kitty were giggling, Grace looked confused, Sam looked beet red and Willow was looking at her mother with annoyance while her arm was protectively around his shoulder. "Hey guys," he stepped around the counter. "You guys gonna help me with my condiment filling." He pointed over to the big table that he had reserved and Arielle had thoughtfully laid a plastic cloth on. He had stations set out for ketchup filling, mustard filling, sugar and salt and pepper. "Come sit," Sam didn't sit and instead he slammed into his legs and promptly burst into tears. Luke hauled his son into his arms. Lorelai stopped laughing immediately.

"Oh Little Man, I'm sorry," Lorelai snuggled into Luke's side, nuzzling Sam to try and comfort him.

"What happened?" Luke asked, tenderly stroking Sam's back. He could tell it was a tiredness, embarrassment perhaps a bit of an overwhelmed cry. Summer was hard word sometimes. Sam didn't respond, but turned his head away from Lorelai pressing his wet face into Luke's neck. Lorelai respectfully backed off and looking subdued, pulled her suit jacket back into place. She was off to the bank, hence the reason why the kids were in the diner. Luke looked her up and down and swallowed, if he didn't have his arms full with their son and she didn't have an important meeting to go to he would be highly tempted to pull her into the back. It had been a long time since Lorelai had worn a skirt suit and she looked word-stealingly amazing. Her normal work attire was typically a pair of smart pants and a blouse or a bright print wrap dress. This was how she used to dress when she ran the Independence Inn and he had to admit it was a look he liked on her a lot.

"Daddy," Willow admonished breathily, "Sam is crying."

"Yeah," Luke cleared his throat and looked away from his distracting wife, instead focusing on his still crying little boy. "Someone want to tell me what happened."

"He gave Mr Doose love," Grace answered resting her chin on the table to study the sugar shakers in front of her.

"Mommy laughed at me!" Sam raised his head and looked accusingly at Lorelai, "and Kitty. I didn't mean to," he buried his face back into Luke's shoulder.

"I know baby and I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing at Mr Doose." Lorelai tentatively placed her hand on Sam's back. The little boy didn't shrug her off.

"He did the eye thing," Kitty explained further. She jumped up on her chair and adopted a pose that was about as good an imitation of a man in his 60s a nine year old child to do. She flared her eyes and gave a self-satisfied smile, "and the hand thing," she made the motion, raising her hand and wiggling her fingers in the particular way that Taylor Doose did on occasion. "And then he got embarrassed so he went super red," Kitty jumped down to the floor her impression over.

"See Buddy they weren't laughing at you," Luke bounced Sam. Sam slowly sat up. "I promise you."

"I didn't mean to," Sam repeated again. "It's just how we say bye bye. See you later, love you. It just came out."

"I know," Luke nodded He held Sam's gaze, the little boy still looked upset.

"Can I do the Ketchup?" Sam asked softly. He wiped his face with the back of his hands, smearing them with tears and snot.

Kitty who was sat behind the ketchup sat up with a look of horror. Willow smacked her hand whispering something forcefully to her and slowly Kitty stood up and trudged round to sit beside Grace behind the salt.

"You can do the ketchup, let's just wash your hands first," Luke began lowering Sam down to the floor and his son did not protest. Son on the ground he glanced across at Lorelai. "You want me to wish you…"

"Nope," Lorelai shook her head forcefully. "I'm adopting the theatre tradition. So no mention of Scottish plays either."

"Ok, well, break a leg," Luke gave her one more appraising look. "I made you a chocolate cake," he inclined his head towards the kitchen. "So…"

"I get commiseration cake or celebration cake regardless," Lorelai shot him a beaming smile. "Alright my beautiful ones, have a good time with Daddy. I will see you in a little bit," She kissed each of the children on their crown in turn and scurried out.

Luke turned to the kids and then moved over to the table to help them with their respective tasks. After about an hour Arielle who had been managing the diner while he was preoccupied with the kids appeared next to him holding his cellphone. She held it out to him and the screen lit up to show he had received another message. He clicked on the notification and a gif of fireworks appeared. He looked up at Arielle. "Can you watch them for five minutes?"

"Sure," Arielle nodded. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded moving towards the door. "I just gotta get sparklers. She'll just complain it isn't a celebration cake without sparklers."


	19. Chalus Chambrol once more

**AN - Thanks Elang (I appreciate it :)). This is a short but not so sweet chapter. Imaginary bonus points if you know what Chalus Chambrol eludes to. Thank you for reading I won't say enjoy because :(. Let me know what you think, x**

* * *

 ** Chapter 19 – Chalus Chambrol once more**

"Lorelai!"

"No!" Lorelai looked up from her desk. Michel stood in the doorway his face creased in distress. She understood. The last week had been hell. If it wasn't the bride with a problem, it was the groom. If it wasn't the couple it was the parents, sometimes the groom side, sometimes the bride side. Then they'd had the issue with the senile grandma undressing in the dining room, which couldn't really be helped and the bridesmaids turning up and getting absolutely hammered, which really could. The wedding hadn't even happened yet; it was still another 48 hours away and it could not come quickly enough. "No," she repeated and shook her head. "I can't, whatever it is, I can't. It's not worth it. I quit. Set the place on fire. I'm done!"

"It is the mother," Michel slipped in. He slid behind the door, pressing his back against it to block anyone else's access. He looked over his shoulder as if he could see through the wood like a final girl in a horror movie, terrified of whatever boogie man was on the otherside. "The flowers are not yellow enough."

"Yellow enough?" Lorelai stared at Michel in horror. "They aren't even here yet, they are being delivered tomorrow. What does that even mean? Does she wants more yellow in the bouquets?"

"I don't know but you do weddings, you speak to her," Michel started to sag down the door, sliding to the ground.

"Michel!" Lorelai gasped in surprise. "It is not that bad that you need to crinkle your suit."

"It is, it is that bad," Michel shot her a baleful look. "I hate weddings," he smacked his foot against the floor, "hate them, hate them, hate them."

"I know big baby. That is why I deal with them," Lorelai hauled herself out of her seat and pulled down her top in a I-mean-business way. No matter how stupid the request she had to deal with it, for better or for worse. "You better go find me the biggest cup of coffee and the biggest donut in the world."

Michel's distressed look transformed into one of disgust. "How you are not balloon lady I will never know. I am going to your flannel husband to get you these things."

"Good, tell him it's a five alarm, kids have been singing the same songs for the past seven hours and have the stickiest hands known to man, emergency. He will get it" Lorelai waved her hand at him, trying to get him away from the door so she could brave the next set to with the bridal party. "Michel, you need to move and I need my donut."

Michel reluctantly clambered off the floor but stood as far back from the door as possible. "You go first, get her away from my desk then I will go out,"

"Such gallantry," Lorelai rolled her eyes. She paused for a moment and forced the biggest smile onto her face. Ah the joys of wedding planning.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Grandpa!"

Emily looked up for the briefest of moments to peer into the garden where Richard was playing some kind of game with a delighted Kitty, Grace and Sam. She smiled to herself and returned her attention to the paint by numbers that she had bought for her and Willow to work on together over the next couple of days while the children were with them. She smiled to herself as Richard let out a whoop of delight which was punctuated by Grace chuckling with delight and cries of 'me next, me next' from the other two children. "Do you want to go out and play with the others?" Emily asked Willow softly. She glanced at her granddaughter, Willow's tongue was poked out between her lips, her brow creased in concentration as she studied the elaborate canvas for any more of blue 302, the paint she was currently using. "Willow?"

"Huh?" Willow looked up, as if she was waking up from a long nap. "Oh, no Grandma. I want to paint."

"Excellent," Emily shimmied her shoulders slightly in joy. She bent down and continued her painting, pleased for the momentary quiet time.

"Grandpa!"

Emily's head jerked up, the tone of Kitty's cry had been different, the laughing and whooping had stopped.

"Grandpa?" Willow whispered beside her, her voice high and panicked.

Emily didn't turn to look at her, instead her eyes were fixed on her husband who was on his knees, surrounded by their grandchildren. The children desperately trying to hold him upright, their small hands straining as they cried out in fear. The colour drained from Richard's face, in pain but trying to comfort the scared children but it was fruitless. Three small children could not hold up a falling oak.

* * *

 **xXx**

"That was not enough donut!" Lorelai called as she stomped into the diner. "I told Michel to say it was a five alarm, same song for seven hours, hands are made of jam emergency. And you send me one donut, without jelly or sprinkles!" She sagged into the chair in front of the register and glared at him. "Am I mad at him or you?"

Luke raised his eyebrows and gave a faint shrug. Part of him had given Michel the most basic of donuts because he knew it would encourage Lorelai to actually come away from the Inn and take a break from the wedding party that were stressing her out so much "He just said you needed a donut because the wedding people were crazy."

"For someone who delivers messages for a living he is terrible at it," Lorelai huffed, her eyes flitted to the coffee pot. "I want all of that," she pointed at the almost full pot, "and then all of those," she pointed to the cloche beside her that held the donuts "Maybe I can end up in a sugar coma and not have to go back."

"You can have a cup to start," Luke reached behind him and picked his largest available mug to pour her a mug "and I will make you a sandwich and then you can have a piece of pie."

"No," Lorelai pouted childishly. "This is an extreme donut needing day," she glanced down as her cell phone held within her bag began to buzz. "No," she mock cried. "I'm on a break," despite that she reached for her purse.

"Ah," Luke pointed at the sign behind him. He rolled his eyes as she stared at him incredulously. As if she couldn't believe that he was still on about cell phone use in the diner with her.

"It's not the inn, It's Mom. So I have to get it," Lorelai waggled her phone in his face. "Kitty probably broke something expensive."

The cell continued to ring, a loud rock song that he thought was a Queen song, ringing out into the diner. "Lorelai, go take it outside. Ham or…

"Grilled cheese, with a side of bacon," Lorelai reeled off, she swivelled on the stool and poked her tongue out as she connected the call. "Hi Mom, give me a …why are the kids crying?"

Luke paused, frozen in time, one moment about to put Lorelai's order in, the next moment unable to take his eyes off his wife as she seemingly aged about ten years. Her eyes went wide and all colour drained from her skin. Her shoulders rolled in and her mouth dropped open. "Lorelai?" he raced round the counter, all jokes and jibes about her getting off the phone out of his mind as he took in the look of pure horror on her face. "Lorelai, are the kids ok?" She wasn't listening to him and he was pretty sure she wasn't taking in anything that was being said on the other end. "Lorelai?" He reached for the cell phone and prized it from her hands. His own panic rising as she did not react, just seemingly frozen in place. Emily was talking at a mile a minute on the other end, flashes of details rushing out of the cell phone as the elder woman unravelled at her end. "Emily!" Luke barked.

"Luke?" she sounded surprised. "Where's Lorelai?"

"She's right here. Are the kids OK?" Luke asked, he could hear Grace and Sam crying in the background, intermixed with the maid's rapid language and the soft whoop of a siren.

"Richard's collapsed," was all Emily managed to mumble to him. "They're taking him to St Francis."

"We'll meet you there," Luke told her. With that the phone clicked off not giving him a chance to ask about the kids.

"Luke," Lorelai's voice was fragile and childlike, "He's…"

"I know," Luke pressed a kiss into her temple, despite not knowing what was really going on. He glanced at Ceser who had appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, drawn by the commotion. "Ceser. We have to go, close whenever you need."

"Sure thing boss," He disappeared for a moment and then came back with the plate he had been creating. In a flash he placed the hamburger and fries into a container and held it out to Luke. "I got this."

Luke glanced at Lorelai, she was still frozen enough to leave for a moment and he darted back to the pass to take the offering. "Do me a favour, call the inn. Tell Michel he better grow a pair and deal with whatever crap is going on there or I'll personally remove what he does have." He shoved the hamburger into a diner bag and grabbed his wallet and cell from beneath the counter. "I'll see you…" he glanced at Lorelai. "I'll see you whenever." Luke darted back around the counter and wrapped his arm around Lorelai's waist trying to coax her towards the door. It took a moment to get her to move and she gave a stumble before righting herself. She paused and then looked at him. Her face slowly flushing with fear. "We're going to get to the hospital. They can do crazy things these days," Luke held the door open for her. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Uggh!" Lorelai let out an exclaim of terrified annoyance. The had come in the main entrance and were now lost in the maze of the hospital complex trying to find their way to the emergency area. Coloured lines were on the floor, supposedly directing them to where they needed to be, but in her haste and panic she had forgotten what the very kind greeter had told them when they had entered. Was it follow the solid blue line or follow the solid blue line until you reached the red line. Or was it orange. She glanced around for some signage trying to figure out which way she was supposed to go. Slowly her faculties were coming back to her. It had taken her the full forty minutes it took them to get to the hospital to process what her Mom had garbled down the phone at her. Her father had collapsed and the EMT was resuscitating him. Resuscitating. He wasn't just unconscious he needed resuscitating. Her phone buzzed again. Rory this time. A sms of fear. Had she spoken to Rory during the journey? Had she spoken to anyone? Maybe Mom had called her. She looked at her phone in confusion. A hand found the small of her back. Luke's hand, warm and comfortingly, pushing her down the hallway with the blue stripe towards an elevator bank and then past it into a busy ER. She blinked in surprise and Luke took her hand pulling her towards what she realised with was the front desk.

"We're here for Richard Gilmore. We're his daughter and son in law," Luke spoke to the receptionist "He was brought in a little while ago. His wife was with him."

Lorelai caught the look that the woman gave Luke, whether it was because she had had to come face to face with the wrath of a terrified Emily Gilmore or it was bad news she wasn't sure. "Were the kids with them?"

"The kids are with Berta," Luke told her quietly, his face flushed deeper with concern. "Maisy is going to go get them and take them back home."

"She is?" Lorelai mumbled. It felt like she had missed hours of the day. Somehow in the course of the trip Luke had managed to arrange everything. She looked down at the bag in her hand. A diner bag. Why did she have a diner bag? "Luke?"

Luke paused for a moment, "Come on over here."

Lorelai stared at him. He had been about to say it was OK, but had changed his mind at the last moment. It wasn't OK, nothing was OK and she couldn't think straight. She let Luke lead her down a hallway into a fractionally quieter waiting area. "Mom," Lorelai rushed towards Emily. Her mother looked tiny, like she had been crushed into powder and then someone had tried to refill her frame but hadn't been able to get all of the powdered Emily.

"Lorelai?"

"What happened?" Lorelai collapsed into the seat beside Emily, vaguely conscious that Luke was no longer beside her.

"He was playing with the children," Emily's hand flexed, looking like it was going to move to take Lorelai's and then changed her mind. "I was inside with Willow and then the screams changed."

"Screams," Lorelai reached and took Emily's hand. It was cold, ice cold.

"They were screaming in joy and then they were scared. He just fell down," Emily whispered. Her head jerked up and she looked towards Luke. He had paused in the doorway, his knuckles resting on the back of his hips, his head bowed down. "What are you doing?"

Luke's head flashed up, his eyes alarmed. "I just don't like hospitals," he muttered taking a few nervous steps into the room.

Lorelai frowned, he was lying she could tell. Not lying exactly but not giving the whole truth. "Did you…" She didn't get a chance to ask if he had seen something as his cell rang and he grabbed at it.

"It's April." He told her, waving the phone with a look that didn't quite verge on relief but was close. "I'm gonna take this. I'll be back in a moment," he stepped out of the room. His head moving to look in the opposite direction that he moved.

"So it's a heart attack?" Lorelai asked, her voice sticking in her throat. "Or is it something else?"

"They believe it is a heart attack. The EMT worked on him for ten minutes before they got a pulse." Emily mumbled.

Lorelai gagged on the air in her throat. He was dead for ten minutes before they got him back, and that was without whatever time it had taken to get to them. "Did you do CPR?"

"Alejandro and Berta did," Emily mumbled, fiddling with her watch. She stood suddenly, paced forward three steps and then turned and paced back. "What is taking so long?"

"I guess these things just take time," Lorelai whispered. He had had no pulse for more then ten minutes, her ER and Greys anatomy knowledge of medicine was swirling in her mind. But this wasn't some medical show where you got to swoon at George Clooney and the sexy doctor saved the day. You don't put your hand on a bomb in someone's chest and everyone be fine in real life. Even if he was fine, there were going to be problems with how long he was out for. A horrifying thought ran through her mind. If he's not him, please don't wake him up. She scrunched her eyes, trying to push it away. How could she think such a thing? How could she want her Dad to be dead over disabled? How could she even think that?

"Gilmore?"

She opened her eyes, Emily had started forward but Lorelai found herself frozen in her seat. She could tell. This young doctor had lost the battle, there was defeat written all over his face. A split second and an eternity passed as somehow in her inability to move Emily had been asked into a side room and started to argue.

"I want to see my husband. I don't need to go into another side room. I need you to take me to see my husband."

"Mom," Lorelai tried to speak, but instead made a sound like a dying cat. She coughed and tried again. "Mom," Others in the room were looking at her. That look of sympathy and relief that the bad news was not for them. Her cell started to ring and she looked down. _Isn't she lovely_ blaring out. Rory. Rory was calling, her Mom was arguing and her Dad was dead.

Luke appeared out of nowhere, for once his arms not going around her and instead around Emily. She froze watching as her Mom seemingly crumpled, the doctor and Luke catching her impossibly small mother into their arms and taking her to one side. The phone stopped ringing and she bent her head down to look down, the only movement she felt she could do. A notification of a voicemail pinged up and then after a split second, Stevie Wonder started to play again.

"Lorelai?"

She looked up from the phone. Luke was in front of her, somehow impossibly here again. "Rory," she tried to say. The call stopped again, indicating how much time had really passed. "I…I…"

"I know," Luke wrapped her in his arms. She sank into him, pressing herself into his chest, desperate to feel his heartbeat. It was dull but she could hear it. He was warm and soft, that little bit of a Dad bod he was nervous about now that he was approaching 50. His chin was on the top of her head, his arms wrapped tightly around her. It should be comforting but for once he wasn't. For once Luke could not make it OK. The cell started to ring again Stevie Wonder shrieking at her. Luke prized the cell from her hand, and keeping his chin on the top of her head he answered. "Rory…She can't right now…" Lorelai closed her eyes. She knew what Rory was asking, she could picture the expression on Rory's face, the wide eyed panic. She could head the desperation in her voice, the need to know that Richard was OK. For the first time in Rory's life she did not want to reach out and comfort her, she did not want to reassure. She couldn't comfort this, she couldn't reassure her that everything was alright because it wasn't alright. "You don't need to rush Rory," Luke's voice resonated through her skull and she knew what was coming next.

"He didn't make it Rory. He's gone."

Lorelai choked and her legs gave way. If she could have burrowed inside Luke's chest she would have. That heart beat was all that was keeping her going. The one solid heartbeat left in her life because the other was gone. Her father was gone. He was gone. How could he be gone?

* * *

 **xXx**

Willow sat up. There was crunching outside, car tyres on gravel. Her movement attracted the others and one by one the kids extricated themselves from their positions cuddled around Maisy. Today had been a very bad day. The worst day. One minute it had been fun. Her and Grandma painting and the next minute Grandpa was on the floor and the nice maid and gardener were bouncing on his chest and breathing in his mouth. Then the ambulance came and the men had taken over and had shocked Grandpa with a machine. She had been terrified. All they had said was they don't have him, they don't have him. Until they did have him and then there was a rush, Grandma running out of the house with the men, Grandpa on a stretcher. The nice maid and the gardener had made them cookies and milk but they hadn't been hungry. She had taken one to be nice but she didn't want it. Even nice cookies taste like dust when you are scared. Instead she had wanted hugs but Sam and Grace had taken those, curled up and crying on the nice maid and gardeners lap. Until Auntie Maisy came. Auntie Maisy had bundled them into her too small car, with not enough seats meaning Kitty had got to sit in the front and driven them home. Home had felt different. Auntie Maisy was trying to be brave but Willow could tell that she was scared. Mostly because she didn't try to cook, instead she cleaned. Auntie Maisy always cleaned when she was scared. When she was happy she cooked. She had cooked though because it was dinner time, chicken nuggets out of the bag. Rip and dump. Mommy food. Auntie Maisy didn't make Mommy food. Auntie Maisy made proper food. Everything was wrong about today. Today was supposed to be fun. She was supposed to paint with Grandma. Grandpa was not supposed to fall down. Auntie Maisy was not supposed to look after them.

Maisy and the little ones moved to the door but Willow hung back. She looked at her sister. Kitty was crying already. Kitty knew, just like she knew. They'd felt it. It was like something had changed. The air had changed. Willow held out her hand. Kitty took it. Squeezed it tight. The front door opened. Daddy came in first leading Mommy. Leading Grandma. Or at least the person that looked like Grandma.

"Grandpa's gone," Kitty whispered, her hand tensing round her own.

"Yeah," Willow nodded. Slowly she walked forward at the same time they let go of each other's hand and she and Kitty threw their arms around their younger siblings shoulders. Her hand went around Sam's shoulder and over his mouth as Kitty did the same to Grace, preventing them from talking. "Grandpa's gone" Willow stated. Sam made a whine of incomprehension and then with a thunder clap he burst into tears. He turned into her hugging her tight and she held him back. "Grandpa's gone," she whispered shuffling herself and her brother forward into her Mommy's arms. One arm she wrapped round her Mommy's neck. Tight so Mommy could barely breathe. None of them could barely breathe. But all of them could cry.


	20. You Were the Light for Me to Find My Tru

**An - Thank you guys and I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I tried to figure out a way to do it without him dying, but so much of what I have has planned comes about because of Richard's death :(. Fair warning as expected the next few chapters will be a bit of a bummer (20-22) for obvious reasons and 23 will be hopefully poignant but more positive, if that makes any sense at all. I hope you guys like what I do in making changes to the AYITL stories that do filter through, in a full circle moment we're back to the spirit of Pursuit of Happiness in that it's incorporating stories that we actually got with the AUness (I know that's not a word but still). And now just to layer on the sadness, it's the funeral which actually had some of my favourite moments in the revival and I've incorporated two of my favourite scenes as best I could. Enjoy as best you can, Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 20 – You Were the Light for Me to Find My Truth**

Sometimes a piece of clothing is more than a simple piece of cloth. Sometimes it represents a hope; a baby cardigan in anticipation of that much wanted baby. Sometimes it represents safety and a future; A beautiful white dress, promising a lifetime together. Sometimes it represented a promise; A bright red jacket with a promise that she could go first. Sometimes it represents a broken promise; A black dress. Simple plain. It represents an echo of when things had been different. An azure blue dress with a matching blue and white pillbox hat. Perfect for going away in. Black was for sending away.

She had stared at this black dress for the same amount of time she had stared at the white dress and the blue dress. The three most important outfits in her marriage. Her marriage which was now over because her beloved husband wasn't here anymore. She kept turning to look at him only to find his space empty. There was just nothing. Just rushes of memories and the crumbling dam inside her. She couldn't break. There were people coming in from town, people coming from all over to pay lip service to the great man who was impossibly gone. No matter how heartfelt the things that people were going to say to her. Nothing would be good enough. Nothing could compare to him.

There was a knock on her door. Well not her door. It was the door to the guest room. She hadn't been able to go into their bedroom since she had come home. Instead Berta had fetched and carried everything, bringing everything into this room, even the meals she hadn't wanted to eat.

"Senora Gilmore?" Berta peered round the doorframe. "Your granddaughter," she held out the handset.

Emily stared blankly at her. Once she had made the necessary phone calls, she had let the jungle drums do the work and let the funeral directors do the necessary plans and refused to answer the phone. She had let Berta field all her calls. Speaking only to Lorelai, the funeral director and the grandchildren. They spoke to her. They didn't say how sorry they were. She couldn't bear to hear anyone say how sorry they were. She would get enough of that today. Enough sorrys to wallpaper her house three times over. She didn't need to wallpaper the house. She needed Richard.

"Senora Gilmore," Berta took another step into the room. Her hand still outstretched. "Your gr…"

"Which one?" Emily asked softly.

"April," Berta moved within arm's length. "I make omelette." She pushed the phone into Emily's hand.

She stared at the handset in her phone, it didn't look right it looked dimmed, like her eyes couldn't see properly. "April. My dress looks like my going away outfit." There was stunned silence at the other end. "I don't want the children to wear black. Children shouldn't wear black."

* * *

 **xXx**

"You want anything else?" Luke asked wiping his perfectly dry hands with the cloth once more. He had so much pent up energy he had to move, had to be doing something but everyone else had just sagged. The kids had all deflated. They were barely mobile versions of themselves. Lorelai hadn't eaten anything in two days. If she wasn't stuck to one of the kids, she was stuck to the scotch bottle. Rory was similar, her blue eyes wider then he had ever seen. She barely responded to Spencer or Gigi. Only becoming animated when she had spoken to Emily. April was like him, perhaps too anxious to just sit still, so on arriving home yesterday had done everything to ensure that everything would be perfect for today. At 8am she had already called Emily twice and contacted the cars, to ensure the logistics of today went perfectly.

"We don't need anything," Spencer answered quietly, his own hands wiping non-existent marks from the table, while his eyes studied his wife with utmost concern. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Luke shook his head and the glanced up at the clock. "I should probably go wake them up. Rory if you need a shower you should go take it. The water pressure can get a bit low when your Mom gets going." Luke wiped his hands again. "I'm gonna." He pointed at the ceiling. Without another word he slipped out of the kitchen and jogged up the staircase. Upstairs was quiet, too quiet. When it was daylight unless the children were out there was always noise, some chattering even if it was just make believe on their own. His children were never quiet quiet. Their silence now burned. He walked towards his and Lorelai's bedroom and took a steeling breath. Preparing himself for what he would see. It was no different from what he had seen each time he stepped into the room but it still hurt to look at. Lorelai lay in the centre of the bed, her arms around the children that had flopped on her like new born puppies unable to control their movements. He moved over to the wardrobe, Lorelai's smart black dress hung on the wardrobe door to let the creases drop out of it. Beside it was his suit coat. He futzed with the jacket for a moment. He could feel eyes on his back and he turned to look. Grace was watching him intently, her dark hair fluffy around her face. He smiled at her. She gave him a nod. "You want to have some breakfast?" he asked softly.

She sat up, emerging from her chrysalis, setting off a chain reaction with the children all wriggling into a semi upright position.

"There is bacon and pancakes," Luke smiled weakly at them. "Go eat what you want."

Sam sat up and stared at him. "I don't want anything Daddy."

"OK, just go down with the others. Have a drink. I just got to help Mommy for a bit," Luke moved towards the bed and offered his hand to Kitty as the child slid down from the bed. "Just eat what you can," he let her snuggle into him, rubbing his hands along her shoulders. "I'll come down and grab you in a little bit so we can get dressed." Half-hearted choruses of 'OK Daddy' sounded. The children slinking out of the room, leaving a motionless Lorelai. Her eyes were open at least. He held his hand out, at the foot of the bed forcing her to move. He didn't say anything just letting her come to him. It took two minutes and seventeen seconds, his brain counting the seconds agonisingly until she sat up enough to reach his hand. He pulled her the rest of the way. She buried her face in his abdomen and he did the same to her as he did to Kitty, rubbing her shoulders. This position lasted another one minute and thirty-five seconds.

"I don't know how to say goodbye," she whispered.

He looked down. Slowly she peeled her face away from his shirt. Her eyes were bleary, her breath still holding the trace of liquor, her hair dull and flat.

"You don't have to say anything," Luke whispered, he slid his hand up her neck, tenderly brushing the tear that was rolling down her cheek with his thumb. "Funerals are for friends, not for family. It's a societal function designed to make you feel even crappier while you do the worst thing." She snorted with the faintest air of amusement. "All you need to do, is go take a shower, get dressed, clean your teeth. I'm not going to make you eat anything even though I think you should. You have an hour and a half to get ready. All you have to do is look clean." His hands fell back down to her shoulders again, gently massaging them as she seemed to come back to the land of the living.

"Give people no ammo," Lorelai mumbled, she ran her fingers through her hair and grimaced. "Is Rory doing the reading? I can't remember."

"No," Luke shook his head. "One of your Dad's friends is. She thought she would be too upset."

"Should I have offered to do the reading or the eulogy or whatever? I'm his daughter isn't that my job?" Lorelai looked at him nervously.

"No." Luke shook his head. "You don't have to do it."

"Ok. I just have to be clean," she breathed into her hands and pulled a face. "I should eat something."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. He smiled at her. "I put the kids clothes out. I think I got Richard's favourites but you wanna check?"

"No black," Lorelai rose from the bed. She swayed from side to side and grabbed at him, her fingernails digging into his biceps. Her fingers relaxed after seventy-two seconds. "Mom doesn't like children in black."

"No black, apart from their shoes." Luke assured her.

"Sam need his bowtie."

"You sure?"

She nodded and looked up at him again. Her eyes waxy from tears and tiredness. "Let him be his Little Man this one last time."

* * *

 **xXx**

Why had she asked for a blanket of roses? Why did he need a blanket of roses? He didn't need a blanket he was already cold, nothing could bring him warmth. All warmth had left him when she had been holding his hand in the hospital room. He had just got colder and colder until finally a porter had come to take him away and all she had been left with was a chilled feeling in her hand. It looked tacky. So did the other flowers. Dear God, that horrible woman was right, tall flowers were tacky. It was all too ostentatious. Everything had been too big. Too over the top. Apart from the chairs, there hadn't been enough chairs. There had been too few chairs. People had had to stand. Stand in the heat. It was such bad form. Or maybe it wasn't. It showed how many people who had wanted to stay goodbye to him. Not wanted, but needed to. No one wanted to say goodbye. They were all leaving now, all going to the house. All those people were going to be in the house. There were more tall flowers in the house. More wrong flowers. God. She didn't want to have people in her house. She didn't want to have to play the hostess. She didn't want this. How could he just be boxed up? Boxed up in a casket and when she left he would be boxed up in the crypt. Boxed up in a crypt with Aunt Maureen and her awful jokes.

Movement, a shuffling sound. She turned a fraction. Something small. No, someone. Sam. Five years old and his full Gilmore showing. Sometimes he looked like Luke. Not today. With his hair brushed to one side in his suit with his little yellow bowtie he could almost be Richard. Or be the little boy they were supposed to have but never did. She held her hand out. His little hand curled into hers and they stood in silence just staring at the wrong blanket flowers.

A crinkle. A flutter. A leaf. A maple leaf on the flower blanket.

"It's from Grandpa," Sam whispered, he reached on his tiptoes and plucked the leaf from the flower blanket. He held it out to her. "because you don't like feathers."

"Feathers," Emily took the leaf in her free hand.

"Mommy said if you see a white feather it's a kiss from an angel, but Grandpa knows you don't like them," Sam sniffed ominously. "It's his kiss."

Her hand tingled, the idea trailing down her arm. A kiss. A kiss from him. She crouched down, careful to preserve his last gift. Careful not to break his kiss. "My beautiful boy," she whispered as her grandson's face crumpled inward. "My beautiful boy," she pulled Sam into her arms. "My boy."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Well you look like the hottest Italian widow I've ever seen."

Lorelai jumped and then coyly looked to her right from her position at the bar. "Jason Styles as I live and breathe." She smiled softly. He still had that youthful round face, now just a bit grizzled around the edges. The salt and pepper suited him, made him look like an actual grown up rather then a little boy playing business man.

"It's nice to see you," he hesitated a moment, as if he was going in for a kiss and changed his mind. "Not the circumstances."

"No," Lorelai looked down at the drink in her hand. A single tumbler of whiskey. For Luke, not her. "I didn't see you at the ceremony."

"I was there. Stood at the back," He blushed.

"But you hate funerals," Lorelai raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Your father was a lion. For him I make an exception." Jason full on blushed. He turned to the bar and gestured to a bottle. He watched the barman a moment. "I wanted to check you were OK. That you were happy. I mean I know you have…" he waved his hands towards the four children, all sat on the couch looking morose. None of them playing up to the attention that Richard and Emily's friends seemed to want to give them. "but I just wanted to check…So are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Happy?" He asked earnestly

"Right now?" Lorelai grimaced. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head lightly to herself and then forced herself to smile. "I'm OK."

"They are beautiful," Jason took his drink and gestured towards the children. "They are lucky to have you."

"Thanks," Lorelai smile warmed as she looked at her children. "They're struggling with this."

"He was an enormous presence." Jason took a sip. "Not just physically but…"

"Yeah," Lorelai inhaled deeply. "Have you paid your respects to my mother?"

Jason gagged on his drink slightly and then sheepishly shook his head. "I've been successfully keeping a living rooms worth of distance between us."

"She's in hostess mode," Lorelai shrugged, casting her eyes towards her mother in the other room. "She'd just offer you they shrimp."

"To which I'm deadly allergic," Jason smiled weakly.

"Thus fulfilling her fiendish plan," she chuckled. After a beat it died in her throat and they were engulfed in silence. "Thank you for coming Jason. It means a lot." Lorelai's smile became genuine.

Jason returned it and looked down at his drink. His mouth quivered slightly, something clearly running through his mind. With a cheeky smile he looked up at her and raised his glass. "Umlauts."

"Digger." Lorelai raised hers.

He gave her a soft nod, drained his glass, placed it on the counter and took a shy step back. "Goodbye Lorelai."

"Bye Jason," Lorelai watched as he took another shy step back and then he pivoted heading straight towards the front door at almost a run. She scoffed in amusement. "Do you have juiceboxes?" she asked the bartender conscious that he was watching the interaction.

"No Maam," the man gave her an apologetic smile. "There maybe some in the kitchen. Would you like me to check?"

"You've got customers," Lorelai inclined her head at a small decrepit woman with far too orange hair sidling up to him. "I'll go check." She gave him a weak smile and turned away, scurrying over to the couch. "Where did Daddy go?"

"He's fixing the vent," Kitty answered. The child sent a reproachful look at someone who looked like they were about to come over and say something to them. "Who are all these people Mommy?"

"They are Grandpa's friends," Lorelai told her she peered around the room, rolling her eyes at the sight of Luke crouched behind the plant, screwing a vent back into place. "They just want to be nice Kitty."

"They are stupid." Kitty rolled her eyes. "They keep saying dumb things like. I bet you're gonna miss him. Of course we're going to miss him." She gave an annoyed huff. "Mommy, Rory's annoying Grandma."

"I know Bubba," Lorelai cast another look over her shoulder into the dining room. Rory had been following Emily around the entire wake, refusing to leave her side even when Emily insisted she was fine. "Can you do anything with that?" Lorelai asked Spencer, who was watching just as closely. "Try and get her to calm down. She wouldn't listen to me."

Spencer shot her a worried look and shook his head. "I tried. She said it's her job. She has to do this."

"Ok, well try again in a bit. They're both bubbles right now." Lorelai took a deep breath. "You guys want anything to eat?"

"It's all grown up food," Willow commented quietly. "All posh and fancy, like Friday night dinner but not good."

"I know," Lorelai nodded in agreement, the food was definitely catered for Richard's friends in mind, but shrimp, caviar, and odd-looking canapes were not to the children or her own palette. "I'm going to go see if there is anything in the kitchen for you OK. I'm sure Berta has got some…"

"What will Berta have?"

Lorelai jumped as Emily's voice attacked her from behind. "Mom. Woah. You need a bell. The food is a bit too grown up for the kids. I was just going to go see if Berta has anything or maybe a juicebox." she looked at Emily cautiously, waiting for an explosion. None came "Is that OK?" she sought confirmation from her brittle mother.

"Of course. She has some chocolate cake. Does Luke allow them to have that? She wanted to bring it out but it felt too mean." Emily fiddled with her sleeve a moment. "She would make it for your father but I told her to stop. It doesn't seem right to have it out."

"Chocolate cake would be perfect," Lorelai quirked her eyebrows. The four children plus Gigi all shifted forward from their seats.

"Chocolate is good for dementors," Willow sounded, helping Grace down from the chair.

"Rory could you take the kids in the kitchen and get them some cake please?" Emily looked over her shoulder at her eldest granddaughter.

"Sure, Come on guys. Spencer can you help," Rory smiled slightly manically at Emily and held her hands out for her younger siblings.

"Come on guys," Spencer nearly jumped out of his seat.

Lorelai waited for the kids to file away before she held out the drink that was supposed to be for Luke to her mother. "Here. Single Malt. It was going to be for Tim the Tool Man over there but he's fine with the grate."

"What is he doing?" Emily peered at Luke mildly curiously. She carefully patted her hair to ensure it was still in place and then took the glass. She drained it in a single swallow.

"He's trying to be useful," Lorelai rolled her eyes again. "He's not good with funerals. He likes to be busy."

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to." Emily held out her hand with the empty glass. A staff member appearing out of nowhere to take it from her. "If the children have had enough. You can go."

"We're OK to stay for now. We'll have to go at six to get home for bath, book and bed," Lorelai glanced at the clock, it was quarter to four. The wake had begun at one. The actual ceremony had only lasted half an hour. This party, was never-ending and ghastly. She studied her mother's face. Emily's composure was a thin layer of flaking porcelain, one little blip and her mother was going to shatter. "Unless you want us to go."

"No, I don't want you to go," Emily shook her head.

Lorelai leaned her head in conspiratorially. "Others though, amiright?"

Emily fiddled with her hair sheepishly. "Yes. Poor April seems to have cornered the worst of them."

"What? Why?" Lorelai's head jerked about trying to see April amongst the crowd.

"Lawrence Carmichael brought up some legislation," Emily closed her eyes and held her breath. "Who brings up politics at a wake?"

"Lawrence Lughead Carmichael." Lorelai shook her head angrily. "So, April is involved how?"

"The usual… undesirable comments," Emily cleared her throat a small smile playing on her lips. "I believe the colloquial term is she tore him a new one. Proved his hypocrisy."

"Well, way to go April, she'd make a great bulldog even if she did go to the wrong school." to her relief Emily gave her a weak smile. "So, you want me to pull a Lorelai?"

"What?" Emily looked at her blankly.

"Pull a Lorelai, cause a scene, get people out. Embarrass them away." Lorelai raised her eyebrows apprehensively.

"No," Emily shook her head. "I'll just have them start to clear away the buffet. That usually works."

"OK. But let's get a drink first. Luke can start clearing up. Can't you Hun?" Lorelai called out to Luke. He sat up like a startled meerkat. She beckoned coyly at him. "Mom's a bit tired of all the hoopla, could you get the buffet cleared down a bit so people take the hint and start looking for the egress."

"Sure no problem," Luke nodded earnestly. "I'll go get it sorted.

"So?" Lorelai held her hand out. "Scotch?"

"Oh God yes."

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily slipped out onto the patio and took a deep breath. The air was warm and balmy, a perfect August day for the most imperfect August day. An hour since clearing the buffet away they had only managed to clear half the house. It was exhausting and she could feel what little resolve she had slipping. She didn't have the patience for their platitudes and their niceties. She didn't have the energy to smile at bad joke after bad joke. Nor to be amused at boardroom antics, or marvel at the deals Richard had struck. Businessman Richard was not her Richard. Businessman Richard was the man who paid for her to have nice things and keep up with the Kennedys. Businessman Richard would abandon her for days at a time, to score a deal, to give them more stock which meant they could help fund the symphony. Her Richard was not that man. Her Richard was sweet and kind. Her Richard fought for her to have the first cup of tea. Her Richard held her when she cried over their losses. Her Richard had his nose in a book, had a quick wit and a devilish smile. She wanted her Richard not their Richard and she was sick of them trying to taint her memories with theirs. She just wanted them to go.

It was the first time she had been out on the patio since he had gone. Really, he hadn't died in the hospital, he had died here. Died happy, playing with their grandchildren. So much better then being strapped up to a machine. They had had his pulse for a moment, that was the only reason they had taken him into the hospital; that and her screaming at them to do something.

The spot where he had fallen had been swept clean, except for one thing. A single white rose. Slowly she walked towards it.

"I put it there."

She jerked around, surprised by the high voice. Willow smiled nervously at her from the doorway. Kitty just behind her. Emily smiled weakly and then beckoned for them to come to her. The two nine-year-olds darted across the patio into her arms. "Thank you," The twins kissed her with fierce love and she clung onto them tightly.

"Grandma," Kitty leaned back from her. "No offence, but a lot of your friends are dumb!"

A flash of joy sprung across her chest and she burst into peal of laughter. Rib clinching diaphragm jamming laughter. She clung to the two children to remain upright.

"Kits you broke her."

Emily laughed harder as Willow tried to pat her back. "No, no," Emily composed herself a fraction and looked down at her identical granddaughters. They were both wearing bright dresses, Willow a flowery purple sundress, Kitty a green dress with sparkles on it. They were both a fraction too small and she laughed again as she realised that they had squeezed themselves into their grandfather's favourites. "I'm not broken. You are absolutely right Kitty."

Kitty arched an eyebrow. "I know."

"So, lets go kick the dumb people out and get some good stories about your grandfather. What do you say?" She seized the girls' hands and dragged them towards the house. The doors clattered open and the decibel level dropped. There was still seventy or so people inside the space. They cowered under her glowering look. "If you have stories about the kind wonderful amazing man that you can share with me and my family then you are welcome to stay and join us for a slice of cake. If, however, you only have a story about Richard in business. Please leave. If you only have a story about Richard doing unseemly things that you cannot say in front of my four-year-old granddaughter. Please leave. If you have ever said anything hurtful about my daughter and granddaughters, even if it behind my back. Get the Hell out of my House and don't ever come back." She glanced down at her suitably impressed granddaughters at either side. "Now. Willow, will you asked Berta to slice the cake? Kitty will you ask Alejandro to get glasses for milk and scotch? The rest of you," she returned her glowering look to the shocked assemblage. "Find a spot on the floor or get out. Daphne, don't you dare think of sitting down! I know what you said about Lorelai, I know what you said about Rory and I know what you said about April. You out," she let go of Kitty's hand and pointed towards the door. "Out Now!"

After a pin drop moment of silence, the room erupted into noise. Feet scraping, murmurs of surprise, that she was losing her mind punctuated by cackling laughter from the corner. Emily looked towards it. Nora. Good old faithful Nora, cackling into her mostly straight gin, waving gleefully at person after person filed out. In a few minutes the downstairs was almost empty, save for her startled looking family, the equally startled looking staff, the Zimmermans, Nora, the Fullertons, the Charlestons, Julian and Ed James, Jack Smith, and Harold Nelson. She smiled sheepishly at them. "Well…"

"Well, I hope we can choose between the scotch or the milk. Not a fan of milky drinks to be honest." Nora marched forward and plopped herself into a chair. "Unless it's Kahlua or Irish cream. Say do you have one of those?" she swivelled to look at the bartender. He nodded sheepishly. "Good I'll take one."

"Please tend to my guests and then clear up the remains of the buffet," Emily waved her hand dismissing the staff so that they could go hide. She took a sheepish step forward. "Girls could you go speak to Berta and Alejandro for me?"

"Sure," Kitty beamed at her. She chewed on her bottom lip. "Grandma that was awesome?"

"Thank you Kitty," Emily felt her momentary madness beginning to ebb away. The realisation of what she had just done hitting her.

"She needs one too barkeep," Nora called loudly "Emily, darling, come sit." She let out a gleeful little cackle. "And you wonder where you get it from."

Emily glanced at her friend, Nora was talking to Lorelai. Lorelai who looked both shell-shocked and resoundingly impressed. "One way to clear the room," she cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "Now, I want good stories about Richard. Proper stories." She moved towards the couches. She hesitated for a moment trying to decide where to sit, when Luke rose and held out his hand so she could use him and take his place beside Lorelai. She smiled gratefully and took his seat. Even though he was wider then she was she barely fitted into the space. Lorelai was pressed against oneside, Rory the other. With a deep breath she placed her hands on each of their closest to her thighs, their hands fell onto hers, squeezing tight. "Now Jack, why don't you begin? But remember keep it suitable for our youngest audience."


	21. Now what?

**AN - Thank you everyone. The funeral in AYITL is a problematic fav, I love most of it until Emily asks for stories and then I love the fight scene but purely from watching Lauren and Kelly being amazing in it, but it presents so many issues, not least the Lorelai Emily relationhip reset, and context wise then implies Lorelai hasn't made contact with Emily for 4 months and wasltzed into the house, which I find odd, I refuse to believe Lorelai would leave her vulnerable grieving mother alone for 4 months and also implies that Emily was alone throughout her first holidays without Richard which is just super mean. Also logically speaking other than what Emily said about Lorelai dishonouring him which makes Lorelai say your horrible what Emily says is fairly truthful and not 'that' bad when put in context of Lorelai and Luke then bending over backwards with the wierd surrogacy storyline. I'm sorry but they would have had a conversation about what they wanted from their relationship and I'm fine with them not having kids if that is what they wanted but never talking about it seems so weird, however if you take that maybe Luke and Lorelai tried to have kids but couldn't (meaning we hthen have to ignore the random thats the kid dialogue) what Emily says is super awful because you know Mrs you haven't mentioned Dean for 11 dinners would know they were trying. The surrogacy storyling also makes no sense in relation to Paris, I don't get her career at all, she's a glorified sales rep and I'm pretty sure it's impossible to have those qualifications in 10 years plus have two children, there isn't enough time plus she used to see clients so she's clearly been doing her job a while, maybe she had a time turner, but lets face it if that was the case Paris Geller would be supreme overlord of the planet or the very least President of the USA. Anyway sorry for the ramble there was no fight. This is Emily Gilmore with 10 years of divergence from the canon Emily Gilmore, she's got grandbabies who've softened her around the edges and her relationship with Lorelai is way better then I imagined it was in the show.**

 **I apreciate that you like Nora, the wonderful British lush who got that Hamilton was a thing, before Hamilton was a thing. I so much prefered the DAR ladies from the original series, upper class entitled people yes, but also real, kind and a bit kinky (stud on the ten anyone), much better than the charicature bitches we got in the revival.**

 **I need to make a quick apology I screwed up the timeline in relation to the real world a bit, I had two versions of the chapter with the bit about politics because I wasn't sure in August 2015 where the election had got to so wrote two did some checking and then still posted the wrong one. But Timeline wise we are in September 2015 so Richard never had to face that debacle. So we are now offcially in AYITL timeframe well almost but stuff the show covered, there will be some things that crop up and other things that don't. As said before still dealing with grief stuff through the next two chapters so it's not so happy for a little bit but the mood will pick up. Thank you so much for reading. Hope you enjoy the next chapter, let me know what you think x.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21 – Now what?**

"Okay," Lorelai clasped her hands and stared at the kitchen table. "We've got, pencils, rulers, erasers, notebook, snazzy pencil case, lunch bag and back pack, times, one, two, three," she forced herself to smile at the kids stood beside her. Trying to get the kids ready for the school year was always tough, made tougher because it was Sam's first day and oh yeah, she had buried her father the day before. She tried to illicit a smile from Kitty but got nowhere. The kids were just as dimmed as she was. She had never experienced anything like this before. Never had to deal with a death of someone who was so majorly important to her. Only Gran and that had been a diabolical whirlwind of stopping her parents wig out. Her father's funeral had been a dignified tornado. One minute he was dying, the next her mother had everything organised and bish, bash, bosh, they were chucking dirt on him; oh and torching many, many bridges in the process. She barely knew how to process it so how could she expect her children to.

The events of the day before were like some hazy dream, none of it felt real, which was good because she really didn't want it to be real. So, when faced with a reality she didn't want to deal with she did what she did best. She ignored it. Focusing on getting the kids ready for school was a good enough distraction. Not that it was a distraction because it actually needed to be sorted. "So that's your backpack," she picked up Sam's dinosaur backpack and held it out to Willow.

"Mommy," Willow rolled her eyes with tween sensibility.

"That's Sam's," Grace piped in. The youngest seemed the least affected by yesterday's happenings, most likely because she didn't seem to fully comprehend what exactly was going on. The child rested her head on the table studying the new school supplies.

"Oh boy, stupid Mommy," Lorelai held the backpack out to its correct owner. "There you go Little Man."

"Do I get stuff?" Grace asked straightening up.

"Spoken like a true Gilmore," Lorelai tweaked Grace's nose. "No Shortcake, this is everyone's things for school. You have new sneakers." Grace inhaled deeply and then shrugged. "So?" Lorelai waggled the backpack in front of Sam. He reluctantly took the bag and stared at it. His little face was stoic, and his demeanour was calm but she could tell that inside, Sam was swirling. He was giving off an energy. Luke did it to. Just before there was a rant about to burst through there was this energy force he gave off. Like before a storm or before the snow fell, she could always tell it was coming. It was something she would need to watch out for. "You want to help me put everything in it?" Lorelai asked.

"OK." he mumbled flatly. He shuffled forward and put his notebook into his backpack.

"Good boy," Lorelai smoothed his hair down. "Come on you two, you're old hat at this," she pushed the twins towards the table.

"Mommy?" Willow asked neatly stacking her pencils and examining the nibs to ensure they were sharp. "Can we call Grandma later?"

Lorelai glanced at the clock on the wall, she had left a message for her Mom three hours ago and she had not yet had a call back. She didn't know the protocol for these things, her memory of the lessons Emily had tried to teach her was lacking on how to handle what to say to the person who had lost her husband of fifty years but clearly, if she had made a call and her Mom had not called back. Emily did not want to be bothered. "Maybe Honeybunch." She tucked Sam's pencils into his pencil case. "When we've got everything ready for tomorrow."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi Dad."

Luke looked up at April as she walked into the diner. She was wearing too many clothes for the weather, her hair frizzed under an oversized beanie, body lost beneath the biggest cardigan he'd ever seen. She gave him a tepid smile and slid into the spare seat at the counter. "Everything OK at home?" he asked, reaching beneath the counter to pull out his tea selection. She scanned the teas, tapped the green tea but didn't say anything. "Kids OK?" he pushed getting her a mug and turning the water pot on.

"Lorelai's trying to distract them with getting ready for tomorrow," April mumbled after a moment. "I feel kinda guilty like I should be there but I just wanted a little bit of time. I needed to think and I'm not sure what to say. Is there something I should say?" she looked up at him curiously, her eyes laden with sadness.

"No," Luke shook his head, he knew the feeling she was talking about. Lorelai had insisted he open the diner and after her had dropped Rory, Spencer and Gigi at the airport he had done so. Now all he could think about was what he should be doing at home. Lorelai had gone from barely being able to move to running around like a spinning top. He had felt disorientated watching her last night. He knew the feeling well. He'd had it after both of his parent's deaths. The uncertainty of what the hell am I supposed to be doing and then the running to keeping from actually facing with what it meant. Running from the fact that it meant they were actually gone. "We just got to be there. And…" he paused and studied April, unsure if saying what he was about to say was uncalled for. He swallowed "You grieve how you need to. Help when you can but he was your Grandpa too. No one gets dibs on feeling like crap over this. Except for Emily. But if you want to be pissed and cry you do that," he smiled weakly at her, the skin around April's dark eyes had creased in surprise "Just don't because I don't like you crying, any of you crying, but you get it right? He was your Grandpa."

April's shoulders rose to her ears and then slowly descended. "I got a job interview."

Luke blinked, surprised by the change in subject. He used the roiling water clicking off as a chance to collect himself and poured her a cup. "Where?"

"At a non-profit in Hartford, The Fund, it's an environment outreach campaign. It's only 3 months but you know."

"Yeah," Luke nodded uncertainly, not sure what he was supposed to know. "When?"

"Tuesday," April reached for the menu and scanned it. "Dad, can I have cheesy fries?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll get you some." He scribbled an order and set it on the pass. "You let me know if you need anything else OK?"

"I will," April nodded, she scanned the menu solemnly and then looked up at him. "Dad?"

"Yeah Apes," Luke rested his forearms on the counter and leant towards her. He knew what she was about to say, could see the unshed tears clouding her eyes. "I love you too," he took her hand and squeezed. "Ok?"

She sniffed, wiped her face with her free hand and then nodded. "Kay."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai pushed out of the bed, Luke's side of the bed was neatly made. He'd gone in to the diner for his bread delivery but he had promised that he would be back in time to take the kids into school. She wasn't sure what had woken her, whether it was him leaving or it was the anticipation of the day or if it was something else. She had this feeling like she had had experienced a very fraught dream, like she hadn't slept at all and something was sat on her chest. She placed her hand on her chest and massaged it for no reason than to give herself some time to try and get her brain to work.

It was still too early for the kids to be awake, even on first day of school with all its supposed excitement. The twins were not like Rory in that respect. She glanced at her cellphone, there was an indicator light on, and she lit the screen up. A message from Rory saying good night in response to her own. She replied.

 _Happy first day of school Babe, have a good one, Mom xoxoxo_

Almost as soon as the message sent her phone began to ring and she answered it. "Hey crazy girl, you got those first day of school nerves going on? You know you don't have to be there at 6.30 right?"

"I know," Rory's voice sounded tired. "I didn't get much sleep last night. I kept having weird dreams."

"Me too," Lorelai agreed. "Just as long as your dreaming about Mother Abagail and not the darkman."

"Not quite that level, but super weird, one annoying not so bad one. I kept buying stationary supplies but every time I went to pay, the basket was empty."

"The horror!" Lorelai smiled despite herself, relieved to hear her daughters voice even though they had spoke last night. "and the other was bad?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah, but I'm not really sure what it was, I mean it was us, but no one had any faces."

"No one had any faces?" Lorelai grimaced. "So it was just a pink blob?"

"Yeah, like everyone's head looked like a thumb." Rory sighed heavily. "but it kind of went all the way round, it was super creepy. Randall Flagg may have been better."

"M-O-O-N that spells better." Lorelai adjusted the phone against her ear. "None of us had faces?"

"No," Rory coughed at the other end. "I'm all out of sorts."

"Me too," Lorelai admitted, "and you don't have to brave Stars Hollow Elementary today. I don't want people commenting."

"So you are avoiding Miss Patty and Babette?" Rory's voice rose the slightest.

"They already sent love and casseroles. We have four, and a ham. Plus two pies." Lorelai picked at the comforter. "That's one good thing I guess, banoffee pie." There was a pause at the other end, Lorelai could hear Rory think 'I'd rather have grandpa'. She cleared her throat. "So, has the plane flu turned into anything?" Rory last night had been complaining of a sore throat, she thought had been caused by an over exuberant air conditioning vent on the plane ride home.

"Looks like we're clear from Captain Trips," Rory went quiet again. "Mom I feel like pudding?"

"For breakfast?" Lorelai frowned not understanding what Rory was saying.

"No, like I'm made from pudding," Rory cleared her throat. "You know not solid but solid, wobbly. Not really anything. I should be so upset I should be inconsolable but I just feel...I feel like pudding."

Lorelai inhaled deeply. "I feel like that too. I think it's shock. I don't think I've processed it even though there was that big old party where we…where we buried him. There is no right or wrong way to do this."

"Yeah," Rory whispered, there was a rumpling sound at the other end of the line. "Sorry Babe. Mom give me a second."

"You wake up Spencer?"

"Yeah," Rory answered with the sound of a door closing. "I got a card from Christopher, I guess he heard. It just said Dear Rory, I'm sorry for your loss, Christopher and Marianne."

"Marianne? so he's moved on again huh?" Lorelai scowled. She pushed the ill will towards Christopher down, he could have very easily just ignored her Dad's death but he had sent something to Rory, it was the barest of something's but it was something, "I guess mine got lost in the mail."

"Maybe you'll get it today," Rory tried to console. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's OK," Lorelai wiped her hand over her face. "What time did you want me to give the kids their presents, before or after school?" Rory had arrived for the funeral the same time as a package she had sent containing some small gifts for the kids. The box sat in laundry room where the kids never went awaiting handout.

"Before."

"Done," Lorelai nodded, she looked towards the bedroom door. Downstairs she could hear the front door open, Luke coming home, which meant proper morning was fast approaching and the new school chaos was about to begin. "Luke's home Babe. I need to get things ready."

"Ok."

"I'll call you later," Lorelai assured her, "and pudding is fine for now, OK, don't feel bad about pudding."

"OK."

"I love you Kid."

"Love you too Mom, hope first days go well."

"Thanks Babe," Lorelai ended the call and set it back on her nightstand. She didn't need it for what she had to do next. Downstairs she could hear Luke getting breakfast ready, being purposefully noisy to try and wake the kids gently. They still had half an hour before they had to get up, but if he started the process now they would be moving at a suitable speed to get them up and out the house in time for school. She grabbed her robe and slipping it on made her way out the bedroom and across to the staircase. As she went to descend, movement caught her eye and she paused. Slowly Sam's little face appeared from around his doorframe. She smiled at him and held out her hand. With the slow plod of an inmate on the way to the gulag, the little boy trudged over to her and instantly raised his arms. She pulled him into hers, settling him on her hip. He cuddled into her and she pressed a kiss against his temple. "Morning Beautiful Boy."

He mumbled something wetly into her shoulder. Lorelai squeezed him a bit tighter. "Shall we have cuddles before breakfast," his head moved up and down in a kind of nod. "Ok," she turned away from the stairs and crossed to his room. When she entered she paused, his floor was covered with all his dinosaur toys, different types of dinosaurs in family groups, looking like he had planned out some kind of epic story. "Did you get some sleep, Little Man?" Guiltily Sam lifted his head from her shoulder and then just as guiltily shook his head "Why not?"

"I had bad dreams," Sam gave a little shudder and then snuggled back into her, mumbling something inaudible into her shoulder once more.

Wordlessly Lorelai crossed to his bed and sank into it. With Sam's help they pulled the covers over their heads and clung to each other tightly, only moving when Grace snuck under the cover to join them.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Alright children,"

Sam looked towards the lady at the front of the room. He shuffled in his seat, a little plastic chair like they had at home in the toyroom. There were lots of kids in the room, some of them he recognised but most of them he didn't. It was loud and there was too much to look at. He just wanted to go home where it was quiet. He wanted to go back into bed with Mommy, he'd liked that, even when Grace came in. He'd liked breakfast too. Daddy had made him a diplodocus pancake with blueberries and Rory had sent him a pencil case shaped like a triceratops. It was way better than the blue pencil case Mommy had got him.

The lady at the front of the room clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. She had tried to talk before, but all these other kids were too excited about the new toys and the new kids. It was all too much. Sam slid down his uncomfortable chair and folded his arms, he wanted to go home and play with Mommy. At home Mommy would make him feel better and he could read his dinosaur book. Being in a room with lots of shouty children was just silly. He looked up as the other lady, came over to him. With a soft smile she gave him a red apple sticker. Sam stared at the sticker in surprise. What did this mean? He looked up at her in confusion.

"OK children," the lady at the front called out again. She had a sing song voice but she sounded mad. "If Mrs Bay has given you an apple sticker can you stand up." Slowly Sam stood up clutching his confusing sticker. Some other children stood up. "Ok," the lady at the front smiled at them. "You are our apple class. If you are sitting down you are in orange class. Apple class are going to go into their classroom, so if you are standing up go pick up your backpacks and then follow Mrs Bay."

Sam did as he was told taking his backpack from the floor where he had been told to put it earlier and walked towards the lady who had given him the sticker.

"Ok Apples," the lady smiled at them. "Let's go to the apple classroom." She opened the door and ushered them through.

"It's coz we can read," a tiny girl wearing glasses stood next to Sam told him knowledgeably.

"Course I can read," Sam frowned at her. The little girl peered at him through her thick lenses and he held her gaze. She was wearing too much pink, and her backpack had lots of sparkles on it. "My sister would like that," he pointed at her bag. "She likes pink."

"I like pink," the little girl fiddled with the pink strap on her bag. "and fairies and unicorns."

"I like dinosaurs," Sam told her.

The little girl frowned. "I don't know what them is," they filed into a new classroom, similar to the other classroom but with desks where the chairs had been. "That's me," she pointed at a sign on one of the desks. H. "You say it Kay-Lee. Where's you?"

Sam scanned the desks and near the front spotted a name sign that read Sam. "There."

"SAM," she sounded out. "That's easy," she gave him a small smile. "Hi Sam."

"Hi." Sam mumbled. "Kay Lee."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi Mr Danes," Luke turned and gave a faint smile at Lulu. The young woman stood behind the counter with that oh so pleasant smile she always wore.

"Hey Lulu. There's a table free if you're waiting for Kirk," he pointed at the only free table in the diner. The diner had been busy today, lots of Mom's seemingly rejoicing their freedom. Now it was filled with high school kids, all lamenting their first day back and one upping each other of being chewed out over their homework.

"Oh, I'm not waiting for him. He's doing something with Taylor," Lulu's smile reached peak pleasantness, verging on false and Luke paused in restocking the sweet'n'lo. "I just wanted to talk to you about the children. I was hoping to catch Lorelai earlier, but the school pick up point was pretty crazy."

"Everything OK?" Luke asked warily, looking her up and down.

"Oh yes, just in relation to their grandfather's passing. The twins were subdued today and I don't know Sam very well but Mrs Bay thought he seemed a little down, more than first day overwhelm. Obviously, I know it's all really fresh," Lulu fumbled with her tote bag. "I don't know if you are aware but I'm in charge of the pastoral team. We manage all kinds of issues and how the children respond to them. Lorelai said that the children saw her father collapse?"

"Yeah," Luke gritted his teeth. The kids had seen all of it, Berta and Alejandro too busy in the futile attempt to save Richard, Emily too beside herself to think rationally enough to get them away from what was going on. None of them had spoken about that yet. The blur of the last week hadn't given anyone a chance to process and while he knew that at some point the kids may bring it up, the fact that he had not been able to protect his children from that hurt him. He frowned as Lulu handed him a stack of pamphlets. "What are these?"

"These are the school board approved literature on communicating grief and traumatic incidents with children, there are different ones for the different age groups" she explained with a smile before rifling back in her bag. "I also got this out." She held out a book. "This one is actually really good. More useful than the pamphlets. I took it out under Kitty's name. I know how Willow likes to maximise her allowance. But it has some useful tips," Lulu smiled again, "and if you want any advice the pastoral office is always open to help in any way we can."

"Thanks Lulu," Luke tapped the pamphlets into a neat stack and tucked them beneath the register.

"No problem. On a personal note, if Kirk and I can be of any help to you, please let us know."

"We're good, thanks." Luke smile gratefully but apprehensively, "we'll let you know."

"Great," Lulu's smile widened to it's maximum. "Well goodbye Luke."

"Bye Lulu," he smiled weakly at her and then glanced down at the book. A self help book for children about how to talk about trauma. He opened the book and then closed it again. He placed his fists against the counter and tensed. This was not something he wanted to talk to his kids about. Not something he'd ever wanted to talk to them about.

"Luke, go home," Arielle's voice very quietly reached him. "I got this. If I need help I'll call Malc in. Go."

He turned his head and looked at the young woman. She wore that wise beyond my years look, and he knew there was no point in arguing. Silently he collected his wallet and cell, placed them onto of the book and without another word slipped out of the diner. Outside the town seemed to press in around him, for some reason everyone out on the street at the same time. He put his head down and darted towards the truck, getting there before anyone could call out to him, offer their condolences or some kind of food. Successful in making sure he was avoided, he quickly shoved the truck in gear and powered out of the space. For once he ignored the speed limit, instead driving at nearly thirty to get home in what seemed like moments. He ran up the porch steps and pushed into the house. Instantly he regretted it, Lorelai and the kids jumping in surprise from their position at the kitchen table. He smiled apologetically. "Hi."

"Hi," Lorelai's brow knitted together. "I didn't know you were coming home."

"Yeah, No…"he scratched behind his ear. "I figured the kids would have first day homework, I know how you struggle with wrapping."

"She's not that bad Daddy," Kitty held up her textbook, wrapped in brown paper which she was in the middle of colouring.

"Thank you Kit Kat," Lorelai gave him a bemused look. "I'm fine when things are square. It's when it's froofy shapes, I get all mix about."

"Yeah," Luke mumbled and walked over. He pulled out his chair and positioned it next to Willow. "I just wanted to come and help," he took one of Willow's books. "You know. Be with you guys."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai stared at her cell phone in annoyance and then placed it on her bedside table. She had tried calling her Mom multiple times and Emily had still not yet called her back. It was two days since she had spoken to her. She had spoken with Berta who had assured her that Emily was ok. Or at least that was what she thought Berta had said. Communication with her parent's maid…no her mother's maid, was best done in person, where Berta's failings in English and Lorelai's failings in whatever language Berta spoke could be made up for by pointing and gestures. Over the phone it just meant a lot of uneasy pauses.

"She'll call you," Luke whispered beside her.

She looked at him, he was reading a book, unusual for Luke and he was squinting to read it. "You need to get your eyes tested."

"It's fine."

She smiled, his ears had turned red at the tips, tenderly she touched them, "you want to borrow mine."

"Nah," he shut the book and quickly deposited on his nightstand. He was silent for a moment, perhaps pushing his embarrassment down and then he offered her an easy smile. "She will call you."

"I know but she's probably expecting me to go round there and…" she stopped as Luke leaned forward, doing his kiss silency thing that he employed when he didn't like what she was saying. She allowed him to do so, relishing the feeling of his lips on hers. "She expects it," she whispered when their kiss finished.

"I've heard you say, 'let me know when is good for you'," Luke reasoned. "You are respecting her wishes. Right now, she wants to be alone, we respect that."

"Until when?" Lorelai shook her head, she understood her Mom wanting some along time, but if it was her, if it was Luke that had died she wasn't sure that she would ever want company.

"Until Friday Night Dinner, when we show on schedule as usual. She can have alone time during the week, but two to three hours every Friday she is going to get grandkids," Luke nodded determinedly. "We need to keep the routine for the kids, and make sure they are OK with being in the house. Plus it forces your Mom to socialise…"

"And who better to socialise with then our four monsters," Lorelai sighed, she snuggled down into the bed and curled into him. She traced her finger along his chest, catching the fabric on a snag on her nail. She frown and pulled her hands to study it. There was the slightest chip on her middle finger. "Maybe you're right. I just feel like I should be doing things. Like I don't know, take her out for a manicure."

"Have you ever gone for a manicure with your Mom?"

"No," Lorelai shuddered, "well once, she hated the polish colour I chose."

"So you never did it again," Luke rolled his eyes.

"Well I got pregnant with Rory right after that so she was more about locking me in my tower," she frowned, and then swallowed. "That's unfair. She never actually locked me in, just you know appearances. She was all about appearances. I mean she was, now just like that, I love the smell of napalm in the morning, get the hell out of my house," she closed her eyes remembering the absolutely mind-blowing sight of her Mom stood yelling at her supposed friends, kicking them out of her house. "She's not…"

"Of course she isn't," Luke cut her off, his hand found it's way to her thigh and he squeezed her leg tenderly. "Of course she's not OK, and anyone of those people who say they are her friends will cut her the slack she deserves. The rest aren't worth worrying about," he squeezed her leg again. "Come here," he pulled her tighter into him. "Do you want to talk?"

"I don't know what to say," Lorelai admitted. "Rory said she felt like pudding and I agree. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. It doesn't seem real. None of it," she nestled into him as tightly as she could, threading her leg over and under his so they were knotted together. "It's like because I didn't get to say goodbye it's not real."

"Even when you get to say goodbye it doesn't seem real," Luke told her softly, his hand gently stroking her back. "I'm thirty-five years on from my Mum and twenty for my Dad and it doesn't seem real for either of them."

"I just can't wrap my head around it," Lorelai bit her lip, her voice breaking. "How is he gone? How can he be gone?" she pressed her face into Luke's chest. "I never said I was sorry, for everything I put him through."

"No," Luke coaxed her face away from his chest, his thick coarse fingers cupping her face. "You didn't need to say sorry to him. He never wanted that. You gave him what he wanted. You gave him his family. That is all he wanted," he pulled her back into his chest and she clung to him tightly. "You gave him everything he ever wanted Lorelai. He was so proud of you. He loved you so much," his arms tightened again and she began to sob. The pudding was gone, replaced with a waterfall.


	22. Tether point

**AN - Thank you so much everyone. I'm glad you liked the pudding, I was worried because it was a positive note for them in the series but it was the best word I could think of even though it puts the negative slant on pudding. More Luke being supportive this chapter, FYI this one to me is the saddest dealing chapter of the bunch and also the first scenes I had mapped out when I started planning, the April/Emily scene and the Luke/Sam scene. We're about half way through the story and it will get incrementally happier as the story goes on from now. I did in fact write a pure fluff chapter for 24 and my original chapter 24 will now be 25 just because I felt we could do with some fluff with all the sad plotty stuff. Anyways. Thankyou so much for reading, let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 22 –Tether point**

April waited patiently for the door to be opened. Finally it did and she was greeted by Berta wearing her toughest look, a look which quickly morphed into a bright smile. "Hi Berta."

"Hola Hello," Berta's smile reached beaming level. "Senora Gilmore…up," she pointed then frowned. "No down."

"She won't come down," April guessed and allowed Berta to pull her inside. The house looked the same as it had done at the wake, perfect, put together. There was a tea set laid out on the dining room table. "She hadn't returned anyone's calls. I wanted to check."

"Si," Berta nodded and half shoved April towards the stairs. "Go. Bring down."

April nodded cautiously approaching the stairs. No one had been able to reach Emily for three days, by no one she meant, her, Lorelai and Rory. Lorelai, she knew had called and left messages but had been too preoccupied with the children to really chase Emily and Rory she knew was texting Emily, but stuck hundreds of miles away in Baltimore there was little else that she could actually do. Emily seemed to be avoiding them and while she could certainly appreciate her grandmother's wish for solitude she knew it wasn't healthy to be locked alone and as she was in Hartford for an interview she had the perfect reason to drop in.

She made her way up the stairs, aware of how quiet the house was. Normally there was music playing or her grandparents were bickering over something stupid; the silence really did make the house feel like the monument the architecture wanted it to be. The upstairs hallway was quiet and she stood for a moment trying to track were her grandmother might be. Emily had mentioned, as casually as Emily Gilmore could, that she had not been able to sleep in her bedroom but the house had so many rooms April wasn't sure where she actually had been sleeping. She opened the nearest door, process of elimination. It was the twins room and it looked as though one of the beds had been slept in but not remade to the normal exacting standards. April closed the door and moved to the next, Rory's. No Emily, but a half drunk glass of amber liquid on the bureau. April closed the door and swallowed. She looked at Lorelai's door and then walked past it, she would leave it for last. There was clearly some process afoot and she wasn't sure what it was but whatever it was Lorelai's room would probably hold some part of the process that she didn't need to be part of.

She quickly checked Sam's room and finding it empty she turned to face the master bedroom. She knocked lightly. There was no answer in response. Cautiously she opened the door. The room was dark and the bed was perfect but there was a scent in the air, that thickness that told you a person had been in here and it had not yet been aired. She listened closely and the faintest of noises reached her ears, the noise of metal moving across metal. April entered the room slowly and walked towards the closet. The doors were open and she walked into the bedroom sized space. For a moment she thought it was empty and took a step to go check the bathroom but then she saw movement, one of her grandfather's pant legs rippling in a non-existent breeze. "Grandma?" she whispered softly. She walked towards her Grandfather's section, fine suits and shirts hung neatly, never to be worn again. She sank to her knees and then like Lucy pushing into Narnia, peeled apart two pairs of pants. Her grandmother was pressed as far into the closet as she could be, curled into an almost ball clutching a yellow silk bowtie. "Hi," April whispered softly, Emily stared at her, and she stared back, unsure what to do.

"I…" Emily stammered, looking like she was trying to explain, embarrassment flooding across her face.

"Is there space for me?" April cut her off, Emily gave her the softest of nods and April pushed between the pants to take up the remaining space. The pants closed off the light and they sat in darkness surrounded by the scent of cedar and cigar smoke.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked around from loading the dishwasher as the front door opened, he paused and raised his chin acknowledging April, giving her that moment to decompress before he asked her about her day. She'd had an interview and he had been surprised by how long she had been at it. She had missed dinner. Lorelai had assured him that it was just the labour market today and that job interviews weren't just chatting anymore but learning some new skill like origami or proposing FTL drive. The following conversation about FTL drives had not gone down well so he was delaying going back to the diner to help with closedown because he knew he had crossed a line, albeit one that was a lot closer then usual. Lorelai was powering through stages of grief or more to the point pinging from one to another at such a rapid speed he felt like he was spinning. The two most prevalent ones were anger and tears. It was like when she had been heavily pregnant but at least with that he could just give her something to eat and tell her it would be over soon. Grief was nothing like pregnancy because at least with pregnancy you had something to look forward to at the end.

April silently walked into the kitchen, she looked at the table and then walked across to him. He waited to see if she would say anything and when she didn't he nodded towards the counter. "There's a plate for you. It should still be warm."

"Thanks," April stared at the plate and then back at him. "Grandma's not doing so well."

"You went to Emily's?" Luke closed the dishwasher.

"After the interview," April turned and rested her backside against the counter.

He did the same, matching her in stance by crossing his arms. "The whole time?"

"Yeah," April looked down. "She was sat in the closet, between his clothes. She didn't say anything for like an hour. I managed to get her out after a while. I don't think she'd eaten anything since the wake. Berta got her to eat toast. Should I tell Lorelai?"

"No," Luke shook his head. "Emily is a proud woman, that would just embarrass her and…" he trailed off, not saying that with Lorelai so unsteady it would probably make things worse and would result in arguments, which neither of the grieving women needed, "if she wants help from Lorelai she'll ask for it."

April sighed heavily "I wish I could do more."

"You did plenty. You being there that was plenty" Luke unfolded his arms and held one out to her. She stepped into the space and hugged him, answering the sentiment April had expressed in her exhalation. "You're a good kid," he kissed her crown. "Sorry, young woman."

April elbowed him. "I got the job, it's complete garbage but it's something. It's through till at least December and I'm sure I can pick up some Christmas work. Gives me time to work on my grad school applications."

"Well done," he squeezed her shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks Dad," she rested into him. "I love you."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Ok my Angel baby, we need to find tiles and wallpaper," Lorelai held the door open for Grace and let her file in. Grace made a considered assessment of the store and then looked up at her in disgust at being confronted with such a boring store. Having Grace all to herself was an interesting experience. She hadn't quite realised just how much time Grace and Sam had spent playing together and Grace was a far more sociable creature then she gave her youngest credit for. Being at home with only Grace and magazines for ideas for the new spa was driving her mad. Demolition of the stable was not scheduled to begin until November, to allow for the guest influx they got during leafing season and construction was not going to begin until the new year, TBC to allow for snow melt, so the actual need for tile and wallpaper was at least 8 months away. That 8 months was no doubt going to be filled with jumping thought the ridiculous town ordinance hoops but trying to focus on them was near on impossible with the effort spent on occupying Grace, ignoring the looming cloud of worry over her mother and the even bigger mountain of fact that threatened to avalanche over her at any given moment, that her father was dead. "Come on Shortcake." Lorelai held out her hand to Grace, "afterwards we can go get ice cream."

"Really?" Grace looked up at her excitedly. "Can I have two?"

"Yes," Lorelai took Grace's hand and swung it. "We're gonna grab some samples and then we can go get two scoops of ice cream."

Grace gave her a pleased smile and quite happily trotted along beside her as they headed for the wallpaper section. Reaching it Grace let go of her hand to go pay with the concertina display while she scanned the options available. She still had no idea what kind of style that she wanted to go for. Relaxing, she supposed, but she wasn't exactly sure what that entailed. Was it plants or was it clouds? Maybe something shimmery and subtle? The choices seemed endless.

"Grandpa!"

Lorelai turned abruptly at Grace's cry. Her daughter was running down the aisle of the store towards a man who did have a passing resemblance to her father. For a moment she couldn't move, only able to watch as Grace came to a complete stop and stare up at the man.

"You're not Grandpa."

"Sorry little one." The man smiled kindly at her. "But I'm sure you'll get so see him soon."

Grace shook her head. "No, we putted him in the ground." She sighed sadly and turned slowly. "I just thinked they was lying when they said he'd gone."

Grace trudged back towards her and Lorelai still unable to move tried to smile at the man and his wife who were giving her a sympathetic smile. Grace slammed into her legs and Lorelai's body seemed to come back to life. She lifted her daughter into her arms. "Shall we go get ice cream?"

"I don't want ice cream," Grace mumbled sadly.

"Cuddles and cake?" Lorelai kissed her cheek, it was damp, tears of disappointment rolling silently down the child's cheek.

"Cuddles," Grace nodded, "and cookies."

"Cuddles and cookies," Lorelai whispered kissing her again. Wallpaper could wait. "You wanna watch old movies?"

"Yeah," Grace nestled into her, "yeah, Cinderella."

"Cuddles, cookies and Cinderella."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So what did your work say?" Spencer asked turning in her chair to follow Rory as she cleared away the dinner plates.

"Can I go watch TV?" Gigi interrupted the conversation, her face pulled taught.

"Sure Sweetheart," Rory nodded, she smiled at her daughter. She waited until Gigi had left the room before responded to her husband. "Mark wasn't exactly happy, but he heard the conversation, I asked if I could conference in, but there is paperwork I have to sign. He understands it's legal documents. It's only because Grandma wanted the burial done so quickly that it's having to happen like this. I'll just have to take a personal day."

"It's doesn't give you much leave for the rest of the year," Spencer pointed out.

"We'll work it out," Rory placed her dish in the dishwasher and then closed the machine with more force than necessary. "I've booked onto the early flight, so you'll have to take Gigi to school."

"I have a staff meeting, I have to be at work for 8," Spencer frowned, he quickly wiped his hand in the air. "I'll figure something out."

Rory stared at her husband and scowled at him. She forced herself to smile "Would you honey? gee that would be great."

"Hey!" Spencer glared at her, reacting to her over saccharine tone. "Don't be like that."

"Like what?" Rory glared at him challengingly. She had been feeling this irrational anger the last couple of days. She missed the numbness she had felt in the immediate aftermath of her grandfather's death. That Spencer would be more concerned over his work, over her work then whatever it was she had to do with the lawyer in Hartford pissed her off no end. There was absolutely nothing she could do to make the situation better but if her Grandfather had wanted her to be there for the reading of his will she was going to be there.

"I get you are upset and grieving but you don't need to take it out on me." Spencer stood up and walked the last plate over to the dishwasher. "I will figure out my work and our daughter, who could also use less of the tone."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rory stared at him, the anger was stoking in her chest, each deep breath she was taking, stoking the flames like bellows.

"You are snapping at her, the thing with the shoes this morning. You don't mean to. I get it, but cut us some slack, OK?" Spencer gently closed the dishwasher and fixed her with a sad, serious stare. "You are not the only one who lost someone."

Rory scoffed and threw the dishcloth angrily against the sink. "You're relationships with my grandfather was not the same…"

"I'm not talking about just Richard, Rory," Spencer cut her off, he turned away from her his shoulders tense and he walked quietly over to the table, using the act to place the chair back under the table. "We've lost other people, it brings up a lot of emotion about the others as well." He pushed Gigi's chair under the table and held the back tightly. "I'm going to go watch TV with our daughter. I set the punchbag up in the back yard. Maybe go use that instead of us," he pushed away from the table with too much force and moved out of the kitchen without another word.

Rory let the silence close around her and then moved through the kitchen into the utility and out into the back yard. Hanging on the tree was the large red punchbag that she and Spencer had bought a few years ago on one of those foolish keep fit notions of 'it will force us to do it if we have it and it's so much cheaper and convenient to have it at home'. One of those ideas that you do a few weeks and then have to find a place to store the bulky equipment when the good intentions die. She walked towards it and pushed it. The air was still warm, the last hurrah of an Indian summer. The bag swung back at her and she hit it with her fist. The blow hurt. You were supposed to wear boxing gloves with this type of equipment. When it swung back she hit it again. It frustrated her more that he was right, that this helped. She hit the punchbag again.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Luke's," he barked down the phone.

"May I speak with Mr Danes please?" a polite female voice requested.

"This is Mr Danes," Luke's shoulders tensed; being called Mr Danes was never a good thing, usually it involved lawyers. Lorelai had received a call yesterday about going to the reading of Richard's will on Friday and he wondered if he was being summonsed as well. Not that he could think of anything that Richard would leave him, except maybe his golf clubs as a kind of joke. "Who is this?"

"Hello Mr Danes. I'm Mrs Bay at Stars Hollow Elementary. I teach Kindergarten Apples. I'm Sam's class teacher."

Luke made a grunting noise indicating for her to go on, not sure why she couldn't just have said she was Sam's teacher from the off. Clearly the woman didn't understand what his noise had meant because she was silent at the end. "He OK?"

"Sam's had enough for today and we think it's best that he goes home. I know your wife is listed as first contact, but we think it would be best if you came and got him."

"I'm on my way," Luke put the phone down without saying goodbye. Arielle had returned from her coffee replenishment run and gave him a curious look "I gotta go get Sam, you OK to manage by yourself?"

"Sure, most of the tables are almost finished. It's just the 30 something gang, I'm sure I can handle free coffee refills until Moody gets here for the dinner shift," Arielle set the pot back in place. "Is he OK?"

"He's had enough for today. If I remember rightly from kindergarten with the twins that's code for he's peed his pants, or he won't stop crying."

"Well hope for the first, but it's probably the latter," Arielle gave him a sympathetic smile and walked backwards towards the drinks chiller. "Will he want orange or apple juice?"

"Apple juice," Luke gave her a grateful smile. He nodded thankfully to her when she threw it at him and then grabbed his keys, wallet and cell phone and shoved all of them in his jeans pockets. He walked briskly towards the elementary school but paused to remove the juice box from his pocket. Jeans feeling right again he broke into a steady job and reached the school just at the point he was getting out of breath. Taking a rejuvenating deep breath he walked over to the reception window. "Hi, Luke Danes, Mrs Bay called me about my son Sam."

"He's in the pastoral room, third door on your left," the receptionist pointed towards the maroon doors that were sealed once all the kids were inside and waited for him to walk over to it before buzzing him through. He shook his head as he strolled down the corridor past the admin office, and the library. The third door was the same maroon as all the other doors but had a papercut out of a sun with a smiley face stuck on it above the words Pastoral Room. When he had been here, he was pretty sure this had been an office of some kind. He tapped on the door and after a moment the school nurse opened the door. "Hi, Luke Danes."

"Hi Mr Danes," the nurse beckoned him into the room.

It was an odd shaped room, a fairly good size but not big enough for the school to turn it into a classroom. It had a brightly coloured carpet and white walls covered in inspirational or motivational displays. There was a table in the middle with the stupid small chairs the school had and tucked around the room was various fabrics, cushions, beanbags and toys. The nurse pointed to a small heap on the floor in the corner which took Luke a moment to realise the heap was Sam curled in a ball covered head to toe in a fluffy blanket. "Sam?" Luke whispered softly and gingerly made his way over to his son. He knelt beside the heap and placed his hand on what he thought was the outline of Sam's back. "Hey Buddy,"

Slowly Sam peeled back his blanket covering and stared up at him with red rimmed eyes. His cheeks were still wet with tears.

"Hey Little Man," Luke forced himself to smile. He jumped as Sam moved with lightening speed, one minute a ball on the floor, next arms around his neck, legs round his torso. Luke fell backwards, landing on his backside with a bump "It's OK, I'm here," Luke whispered, not really sure what else to say.

"Sam got a bit upset," the nurse explained. "Mrs Bay was doing 'my favourite thing' with the children, they have to tell everyone in class about their favourite thing and Sam was talking about dinosaurs and then just started crying. When he wouldn't stop, she brought him here for a timeout and then he just started asking for you. He calmed down once he knew you were coming."

Luke studied the nurse, reading between the lines of what she meant by started asking for you. It meant that Sam had most likely been screaming for him. He frowned, the kids never screamed for him in moments of distress, nearly always favouring Lorelai, unless it was her they were upset with, usually because she took their food. "Hey Buddy, you wanna tell me what's up?" Luke rubbed Sam's back. It took a whole minute before Sam lifted his head from his shoulder. "You wanna tell me?" Luke fixed eyes with Sam. Slowly his son nodded, but remained mute. "I'm listening," Luke assured him.

Sam took a deep breath, never once taking his eyes off Luke's face. "I miss Grandpa."

"Ok."

"And then I thinked that if Grandpa is gone, you could go and I don't want you to go," Sam stared at him his lower lip was trembling.

Luke exhaled heavily, "I'm not planning on going any time soon."

"But you will. Boys go. Like your Daddy. I don't want you to go," Sam whimpered, he dissolved into tears.

Luke loosened one of his arms from around Sam's back and tenderly wiped away his son's tears. He couldn't fault the five year old's logic. There were very few men in their lives and most of them were in the ground. He was at a loss of what to say to him. How could he assure a five year old that he wasn't going to die, no one knew when their time was up. His Dad had been fifty two when he died, that was only three years away. Unable to think of anything to say he squeezed his little boy tight, hoping that that would be enough.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke joined Lorelai at the foot of Sam's bed. When he had got him home there had been more tears from Sam and plenty from Lorelai. Neither of them had come up with a way to comfort him properly beyond cuddles and they had done it in shifts throughout pick up, dinner time and bath, bed and book for the girls. With the twins semi quiet in their room he'd come to join in trying to comfort only to find that Sam had finally cried himself to sleep. He put his arm around Lorelai's shoulder and silently they watched Sam's gentle breathing.

"Do you think he'll be OK?" Lorelai asked softly.

"I think maybe he needed to let it out. It's been brewing," Luke pulled her fractionally closer. She nodded. "We've got a meeting with Lulu on Monday but I'm hoping everything was just a bit too much."

"What do you think she will say?" Lorelai leaned in to him.

"I don't know, maybe he needs colour or something. He was so close to your Dad…I just…I dunno," Luke shook his head. He looked around as he heard the front door open, followed almost immediately by the sound of April's heavy shoes on the stairs. The steps turned into hushed words with the twins, or at least as hushed as the twins got before the steps came towards them. April appeared in the doorway and gave them an uneasy smile. "Hey, you OK?"

"Mmhhhmm," April nodded, her eyes switching to Sam. "Is he OK?"

"He cried himself to sleep," Lorelai told her.

"I would have come earlier, but I was with…um…Grandma and I would have had to tell her."

Luke leaned back to prevent Lorelai's quick turn of her head from striking him on the chin. "You saw Mom?"

Lorelai had managed only one conversation with Emily, who had finally called her back yesterday after the lawyers had phoned.

"Yeah," April looked down nervously. "I saw her on Tuesday after my interview. She's not really eating, so I figured if I was there it might force her too. She ate half of lunch and half of dinner at least it's something."

Luke glanced at Lorelai, her eyes were filled with tears. "Come on, lets not wake Sam up." He stood up and flexing his hand indicated for her to do the same. Lorelai scurried round the bed and rushed over to April pulling her onto the window seat. Luke pulled the door to the bedroom to.

"I was thinking," April got in first before Lorelai could bombard her with questions. "That with my new job, seeing as its minimum wage, it's kind of dumb to be driving back and forth and getting the bus takes forever."

"You can't move in with my Mom April," Lorelai guessed where April was leading to.

"Only during the week and the weekend I will be here. It saves money. I can work on my grad school applications and it gives Grandma someone to fuss over, which means she will get up and eat and do stuff." April reasoned.

Luke took a step back sensing that this was something that while he should witness, he should not strictly be part of.

"My mother doesn't fuss April, she smothers. And she's super crazy grieving Emily right now. She will be the mother of all smotherers." Lorelai reasoned, she clasped April's hand. "She…"

"Is grieving. She hasn't just lost her husband, she's lost her whole reason for doing things," April returned. "I will be out of the house for most of the day and if she gets too much I can excuse myself to work on my applications. But most importantly I can make sure she eats at least twice a day and its company from someone who actually speaks the same language as her. Plus there is no baggage with me. I'm Switzerland."

Lorelai groaned and leaned her head forward. "April, this is my mother, she might try and send you to conversion therapy."

April scowled. "No she won't. That isn't fair, you know she wouldn't" April shot "Lorelai someone needs to be there for her. She needs someone to focus on. I don't mind being centre of her attention. I'm homoromantic not a full lesbian. Rose and I aren't together anymore, we've gone back to being friends because I can't give her what she needs so we're cuddle buddies," April rolled her eyes at the phrase. "I think I can hold off speaking about LGBT things around her. I think she needs this. OK. I want to do this."

"You watch horror movies. You know how this will play out," Lorelai looked at her imploringly.

"Mom," April leaned forward. Lorelai sat momentarily backwards, surprise written all over her face. Luke studied his wife and daughter in surprise, he knew that April considered Lorelai her mother and that Lorelai in return considered April her daughter, but April had never directly called Lorelai Mom before. "I got this. I need you to trust me."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So April's going to move in," Rory whispered. "Why?"

"She thinks Mom needs someone to fuss over and by her being there it will force her to eat," Lorelai readjusted her position trying to get comfortable in the awkward leather chairs. She held her hand out as Rory sat forward in alarm. "She is eating, I checked with Berta, just not very much. But April thinks if she is there she might be distracted into eating. It's something, all I can do is call with nothing to say except invite her to kid things. At least she answers my calls, not that she's talks," She wriggled again. "Though as soon as April asked her about moving in part time she was on the phone asking about thread counts in sheets, so the girl maybe onto something." She wriggled again, huffing in a childish manner.

"Stop it," Rory hissed, her own body elegantly positioned in the chair.

"These are dumb," Lorelai wriggled more obviously. "A chair is supposed to support you and be comfortable, these are like contortion buckets."

"Contortion buckets," Rory rolled her eyes and glanced at her phone. "Are we having the same appointment as Grandma?"

"She just said she would see me here," Lorelai peered past the receptionist's desk down the corridor. "Mom hasn't exactly been very chatty this last week, thread counts aside. Nope." She stood up and after straightening her skirt walked over to the window. The view was of the street, nothing of interest. She turned back, her action had clearly alarmed the receptionist so she forced a smile on her face and sunk down into the uncomfortable chair with an over dramatic huff. "I don't see why we are here anyway, everything should go to Mom."

"Maybe there are things that he wants us to have. I got the impression it's property," Rory raised her eyebrow. "Why else would I have to be here in person to sign legal documents?"

"The lawyer he uses is still in the last century?" Lorelai wriggled again and stood up. She smiled falsely at the receptionist. Her eyes tracked further then the prim and polished receptionist to her mother walking out of an office with someone. Emily looked gaunt, she had lost enough weight for it to be noticeable and Lorelai wished she had a donut to give her. She caught Emily's eye and her mother smiled thinly at her and then strode forward with purpose in what Lorelai supposed was her new attire a smart black suit. "Hi Mom."

"Good you're both on time, come through," Emily paused by the receptionist, making the woman jump.

Lorelai rose and then followed obediently, sensing that now was not the time to do or say anything unless she was asked. The room was a small conference room which was already covered with papers and files. Lorelai took the nearest seat and stared at the small mountain.

"Well, why don't you explain Joseph," Emily sank into a chair at the head of the table and the lawyer nodded politely.

He cleared his throat. "This is not a strict will reading. Richard left everything to Mrs Gilmore with the exception of a few philanthropic requests."

"The Richard Gilmore Scholarship, for students studying economics, one for Yale one for Hartford University," Emily interjected.

"Yes," The lawyer cleared his throat again. "Although everything is left to Mrs Gilmore, he did leave a detailed list of wishes," his hand hovered over a list which Lorelai realised was a list in her father's hand. "Mrs Gilmore has agreed to follow through with these wishes. At present you are the only beneficiaries of these wishes."

Lorelai glanced at her mother. "The kids?" Emily gave a curt nod.

"Yes, your children," the lawyer flipped a piece of paper. "Katherine, Willow, Samuel and Grace will be beneficiaries when they turn twenty five. Until that time it will be held in trust. Details will be sent to them or you in due course."

"April also, and Gigi," Emily added, "And Luke."

"Luke?" Lorelai looked at her mother in surprise.

"Yes, and I shall discuss it with Luke when I am in a position to do so," Emily shot. She gave a mildly annoyed sigh and Lorelai sensing the danger zone was about to be breached looked back to the lawyer. "Well as long as everyone is treated the same, they argue otherwise. You know. Kids."

"I'm sure," The lawyer gave her a disinterested look. "Mrs Gilmore your father has asked that…"

"Danes," Lorelai interjected. "Gilmore-Danes. She's Mrs Gilmore."

"Apologies. Your father has asked that you receive ownership of two properties, your mother has consented to the request." The lawyer handed her a sheet of paper which had an address and property description of two properties on. She scanned it quickly, a commercial building in Hartford and an apartment complex in... "Dad owns the apartments on Plum!" It was a small elegant six unit apartment building, she walked past it often on her way between the diner and the elementary school.

"No Lorelai, you own the apartments on Plum," Emily rolled her eyes.

"All units are currently let and if you look here you will see your rental yield and the associated costs." The lawyer handed her another sheet of paper which at quick glance made her head spin. Each apartment rented for $1,300 a month, the cost to the company that maintained it was $156 dollars per unit per month. Her mouth dropped open, on one apartment building her father made nearly $7000 a month in profit and now that was hers.

She looked up realising that it seemed the lawyer was expecting her to say something. "Is there any mortgage?" was the only thing sensible she could think of, which sounded remotely sensible.

"On the residential property, no, that has been paid in full," The lawyer flicked through to another sheet. "The commercial unit has a small loan remaining but this should be completed in 7 months and the unit's current tenants have leased the property for the previous 16 years and are one year into a 5 year lease."

"Wow," Lorelai sat back and stared at the addresses. For the property on Plum to have paid off the mortgage it meant her father had owned the property for a reasonable length of time.

"Mrs Anderton-Gilmore you have been left this property," the lawyer handed Rory a piece of paper.

Lorelai watched as Rory scanned the sheet, the corners of Rory's mouth twitched and then flattened. "Where is it?"

"Commercial unit in New Haven," Rory told her quietly. "There's a restaurant there, or was there,"

"Beppo's," Emily muttered again. "We used to eat there when we would go down to visit. The unit came up for sale a few years ago." She looked down at her hands. "Your father can be…" she paused and closed her eyes looking visibly pained. "Could be," she corrected, "a sentimental fool at times."

"A generous one," Lorelai whispered. She wasn't stupid, she knew her parents were rich but she didn't have a full picture because, well you didn't ask things like that. She was certain that what she held in her hands was just a fraction of what her father, now her mother, actually owned. All she knew for certain was that even in his death her Father was doing what he had done in life. Taking care of his family.


	23. The First Holiday

**AN - First off sorry this took so long to post, I lost my memory stick last Friday and therefore lost all my chapter 25 and my edits for this chapter so I had to redo it this week. I'm also working on an original thing that might hopefully be a novel oneday (once I rewrite it so it isnt crap) also and perhaps wierdest of all I've actually had a social life and gone out twice in the evenings this week. PLus I realised it's only 20 weeks to Christmas which sounds alot but isn't when you make all your Christmas presents plus have two baby gifts to make and the final module for my degree starts in 8 weeks so it's a bit. OMG. On that front because I want to blow my own trumpet because I'm super stoked, I got a distinction for my last module (the highest grade you can get). So thank you to you guys because this and the other storys were my stress releif while doing that so thank you for reading and providing me with an outlet. This is getting rambly um inconclusion Sorry it's late but it's here yay, well hopefully you think that. the loss though annoying also helped me edit my plot and reframe some of the AYITL elements I wanted to include so hopefully it's now a stronger story with hopefully some very good images if what I have in my head comes out the way I hope, we shall have to wait and see :) Thank you for reading the last chapter I'm sorry for the hits in the feels but we are on the upswing now, well starting to, though there are elements that are still/will always be raw over Richard's passing. Thank you for your wonderful comments they really do help and I'm so thrilled you are enjoying this story even though it is a bit of a downer right now. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 23 – The First Holiday**

"Daddy," Kitty announced as she marched into the living room. "This is not enough marshmallows," she dumped the bag of confection on his lap and fixed him the serious stare of the unimpressed. "There is sooooo many people at Turkey Day tomorrow, and Mommy's eating more then she normally does right now. So we will need more!"

Luke held his breath, Lorelai sat beside him, pretending to be interested in the movie that neither of them were really watching had sat up straight, and folded her arms self-consciously over her middle. His hand trailed her thigh a moment and then he turned to look at Kitty. "Kits, it's 9.30 you are supposed to be in bed."

"But Daddy tomorrow is Turkey Day and…" Kitty started to protest. She lunged for the marshmallows, grabbed them and shook the bag at him. "This isn't enough!"

"Those are the spares," Luke took the bag back from her. "I already made the dishes. I just got to heat everything up." He set the bag on the table and looked at Kitty more seriously. "Why are you up really?" he was surprised he hadn't heard her on the stairs or in the kitchen but then he'd been running around trying to get Thanksgiving dinner arranged and was exhausted. In reality he hadn't really stopped running since Richard died at the end of August twelve weeks ago. Everyone was still quite rightly not out of their grief stages. The twins and Grace were mostly, but there were moments when they would say things like 'can I show Grandma and Grandpa' and then realise what they had said and get upset. He was getting used to the tears and the stomping of feet. Lorelai had joked in one of the rare moments she joked that they were getting practice for the teenage years. Sam was still struggling, and now spent every afternoon after school at the diner with him, so he could have proximity. It was kind of nice in a bond building way but a little stressful having a small shadow when you had hot plates to worry about.

Lorelai was at peak if 'I ignore it, it didn't happen' and was stress eating beyond anything he'd ever seen her eat before. She was also having bad dreams, and was dimmed was the best way he could describe it. She was also completely, though she denied it often, fretful over Emily. Emily was not handling Richard's passing well, if much at all, though being a Gilmore and having the associated stubbornness insisted she was fine. April being in the house helped a bit, but each Friday Night Dinner he attended, which had been all of them because the family needed him, Emily looked smaller and her movements had become more mechanical. There was nothing he could do but deal with each moment at a time. "Come on Kits?" he coaxed.

She gave an expressive heavy sigh. "I want Turkey Day to go good. It's the first time that…" she cast a furtive glance at Lorelai, "he won't be there. I don't want everyone to be sad, like more sad then now. Obviously be sad, but not sad," she tipped her head to one side and looked at him hopefully.

Lorelai answered, "Bubba," she held out her arms and Kitty leapt expertly over Luke's outstretched legs into the small space in front of Lorelai to then curl into the small space between Lorelai and the arm of the sofa. "Turkey Day will be what it will be, and it's OK to be sad, and it's OK to be happy," she snuggled Kitty to her, kissing her fluffy escaped from her night time braids curls, "and Daddy is right, you should be in bed and you don't need to worry. Daddy always makes Turkey Day special, even if he moans I buy him flowers."

Luke rolled his eyes taking a moment to sieze on the light of Lorelai she'd let out and hopefully stoke it. "You don't need to buy me flowers."

"Its tradition and we have vases now" Lorelai poked her tongue out at him.

"I still don't need flowers," Luke shifted forward keeping his tone gruff though the tongue poke pleased him no end.

"There's always space for pretty Daddy and flowers are pretty," Kitty told him sagely. "Can we get the sparkly sticks?"

"No." Luke shook his head. The sparkly sticks were these ornamental decorations stuck in floral displays that did nothing except shed glitter everywhere the last things he wanted was glitter all over the diner.

"We'll use ribbons," Lorelai kissed Kitty. "Now. Come on. Bed time."

Kitty sighed. "Kay," she extricated herself from Lorelai and then held her hands out to him, "Daddy?"

"Ok Kits," Luke lifted her into his arms, his tiredness making him strain a little, Kitty helped by wrapping her legs around his middle and then gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and rested her own cheek on his shoulder. "I'll be done in a bit" he told Lorelai ready to begin round two of bedtime for the twins, because if Kitty was awake so was Willow.

"Kay," Lorelai smiled weakly at him, her eyes focused on Kitty. "Sleep well Bubba."

"Love me from Top to toe?" Kitty asked raising her cheek a fraction.

"From the very tip to the very top," Lorelai assured her.

"Good," Kitty rested her cheek back on his shoulder. "Same for you and Daddy."

* * *

 **xXx**

With a frustrated growl Lorelai gave up on trying to construct a turkey out of a paper napkin. She had never been any good at napkin layouts, she could manage the pope hat and the fan but that was it. Sookie could construct almost anything out of paper napkins. She looked at the jaunty design on the napkins and then waved her hand at herself; they were only going in the garbage in a couple hours anyway and the only one who might have wanted a fancy design was her mother, who would probably prefer a linen napkin anyway and was or at least last week was so completely unobservant of things at present that Luke could probably walk around naked not notice. Everyone else would, the children would be mortified; she would just enjoy the view of her husband. She glanced over her shoulder, Luke was at the height of his food preparation and as enjoyable as it would be to see his expression when she suggested he streak in front of her mother, she wasn't sure that now was a right time.

She paused to watch the children, smiling at Sam who on the arrival of Hinton had come out of his grief shell. Jess and Selena's little boy had the ability to make anyone smile with his effervescent nature. Her eyebrows rose as Hinton dashed across to Selena and clearly asked to be picked up but Jess swooped in and lifted the child preventing Selena from doing so. Lorelai tipped her head to one side and studied Jess' partner. Selena typically favoured a skinny jean and t-shirt or pretty blouse, today she had a baggier then normal tea dress on and a rather baggy cardigan. Lorelai scanned deeper taking in some other noticeable details and then spun on her heels trotting into the kitchen. "Is there anything you haven't told me?" she demanded looking at Luke expectantly.

He gave her a bewildered sideways glance, and then resumed balancing his cooking assignments. "I don't think so."

"So nothing about Selena?" Lorelai continued.

"What about Selena?" Luke looked genuinely confused.

"Huh." Lorelai checked over her shoulder. "Jess hasn't said anything?"

"Lorelai!" Luke looked at her imploringly. "I'm kinda busy. What would Jess have to say about Selena?"

Uncertain if he still wasn't telling her everything. "About her being heavier than usual," she gestured with her hand the imaginary curve of a pregnant stomach. "About there being more of her than usual."

"Why the hell would Jess talk about his girlfriend's weight to…"

"No, look at the hand," Lorelai made the gesture again. Luke looked at her blankly for a moment and then rolled his eyes. "Do you think?"

"I didn't pay that much attention," Luke continued to prepare the food.

"Honestly," Lorelai rolled her own eyes. Imitating her husband.

"Right come here," Luke gestured widely at her, his hand conducting her. "Stir that."

"We've had the discussion about stirring before," Lorelai pouted.

"I'm not leaving, it's gravy you can't…never mind just stir it. I'll strain it if I have to." Luke paused in the doorway to the kitchen. "Jess?"

"What are you doing?" Lorelai looked at him aghast. "You can't just ask!"

"Better then you insinuating all day. Jess," Luke waved his nephew over.

Lorelai peered around the corner of the kitchen door as best she could relaxing when Luke gestured for Jess to come into her view. She glanced down at the gravy and winced, lumps were forming. "Luke."

"Seriously? How can you not stir properly?" Luke took the two steps across the kitchen and pushed her out of the way. He grabbed a slotted spoon and worked furiously on the sauce. "Go on ask him."

"I don't want to ask him. You're the one wanting to prevent the insinuating," Lorelai protested, she reached to take a stuffing ball from it's dish, yelping as Luke slapped her hand lightly, even though she still got her stolen food. "You ask him," she pointed at Jess, who stood in the doorway just watching them with one eyebrow raised and his arms folded across his chest.

"Fine." Luke huffed. "Are you and Selena having another kid?" he shot almost accusingly at Jess.

Jess' other eyebrow rose to meet its pair and his arms dropped to his side suddenly looking awkward. "You are?" Lorelai cooed in delight, she took a step towards Jess but he took a step back in apparent alarm. "That's so great!"

Jess took a step forward again resuming his place and a small smile played on his lips. "Thanks, we didn't want to say anything, we weren't sure how everyone would be…" he gestured out into the diner space.

"Oh Jess, that's sweet but…" she paused sensing Jess' uncomfortableness. "Congratulations. When is the baby due?"

"March," Jess gave her a small excited smile.

"Do you know what it is?" Lorelai took a step closer, this time Jess didn't move away. He shook his head. "Well, you've had most of the boy things but if it's a girl I still have most of Grace's things and a lot of the twins."

"Mrs Hoarder over here," Luke smirked.

"I don't want to give them away," Lorelai protested, she blushed slightly as Luke and Jess gave her a incredulous look seeing as how she had just offered Jess the clothes that were in boxes in what was supposed to be the garage. "This isn't giving them away, this is passing them on," she qualified. "It's different."

"Sure it is," Luke muttered, waving both of them out of the way to bring the gravy pan over to the jugs so he could decant them. "Besides that, you OK moneywise?"

Jess looked uncomfortable again. "We're fine from a household finance point of view just depends how the delivery goes. We have basic maternity benefits but some of the stuff wasn't included, we've only just paid off Hin's birth."

"What wasn't covered?" Lorelai frowned, from what she remembered of Hinton's birth it had been straightforward but long.

"The pain relief or him staying in the nursery overnight or whatever. Either way we owed a couple of grand. I guess it will be the same" he shrugged.

"Jess, I don't want to ask but we would more then willing to…" she trailed off as Jess shot her a wounded look.

"Only if you want," Lorelai added.

"We're here to help as best we can," Luke added finally pausing in his food prep.

"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. So you are OK with us telling people?" Jess gestured to the room behind him.

"We can use some good news and this is great news. Just don't be offended if my Mom is…well my Mom," Lorelai smiled at the young man. "It's such…" she paused as Jess shot her another look that said he got that she thought it was good news. "Well you know," she waved her hand at him which he took as permission to go.

"Happy now?" Luke pressed a kiss on her cheek as he walked past her to the stove.

"Yeah."

"Good." He turned and handed her a fork which had a sausage on the end. "Now get out of my kitchen. You're ruining my times!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke sat down with an exhausted sigh. He had finally managed to get all the food onto the table, everyone had a plate, plus all the extras for when people inevitably wanted seconds. He placed his napkin on his lap and then looked up at the table. He blanched, everyone was looking at him. He quickly glanced down there were no major food spills, confused why everyone was looking at him he glanced over his shoulder to check if there was anything that he had missed, or if there was someone stood behind him. Finding nothing that would warrant the staring he was getting he looked back at the table and then across at Lorelai for help.

"Toast," she mumbled.

"What?" Luke gave a little start and then glanced at Emily. Richard had always started the toast, others would join in afterwards but Richard always began, toasting his family and then the food. It was basically the same every year but that was Richard's job. "Why me?" he hissed at Lorelai, fairly needlessly given that everyone was looking at him.

"You are head of the family now," Emily answered coolly.

"Patriarchy, we haven't smashed it yet," Lorelai gave a weak smile.

Luke looked between Lorelai and her mother. There was no way that he was head of the family. He wasn't even head of their own family of 8. That was definitely Lorelai. He wasn't even the oldest man here, that was Morey, although Morey wasn't technically family. "I'm…Emily…wou…I'm not…What?" he felt his cheeks redden and he felt more embarrassed.

"I'll do it Daddy," Kitty offered hopefully.

"No," Luke slowly got to his feet and took his glass, the rest of the table following suit, taking their own glasses. He glanced at Jess, his nephew gave him a small nod, one which he took as both encouragement and permission. "I'm thankful for my family. I'm saddened it's one less and happy it will be one bigger next year." He tipped his glass towards Jess and Selena, the table's attention shifted to them and Luke gave a sigh of relief. "Happy Thanksgiving and all that. Just eat," he sat down quickly and glanced at Lorelai who was smiling softly at him. "Could have been worse I guess," he muttered at her.

"Smallpox blankets?" Lorelai asked her smile widening. "Don't forget to have your rant about them. We have our traditions"

"Yeah," Luke stabbed at his mashed potato nervously. Cautiously he looked up at Emily, his mother in law was sat almost motionless not touching her food, looking like she was trying not to cry. "I'm not liking some of the new ones," he muttered to no one in particular, his attention returned solely on his food.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory took Spencer's empty plate and stacked it on top of her own empty one. Beside her her husband slouched in his chair, his shirt straining across his stomach. She felt similarly stuffed though she had deliberately worn a dress which had a bit of give to it. Opposite them Hinton and Sam bounced off their seats to go ask Luke something.

"They are surprisingly good conversationalists," Spencer chuckled. "I hope Sam stays interested in dinosaurs."

"It seems more than a fad," Rory agreed collecting the cutlery and placing the implements on the china. For now there would be an interlude of an hour or more while everyone digested and the kids ran off some energy before a stupid number of pies would come out and the stuffing would resume again. "He can pronounce the different eras now."

"Cretaceous is hard at any age," Spencer grinned, his eyes followed the two boys. "Hinton is sweet though, listening patiently. He's a good kid."

"Yeah," Rory nodded continuing in her cleaning. "Sam's gonna have to watch Grace though. Hinton is hers."

"Her Hinny," Spencer snorted. "Poor kid doesn't stand a chance."

"Sam or Hinton?" Rory raised her right eyebrow.

"Either," Spencer shrugged and collected a crumpled napkin from the middle of the table. "He's gonna be a good big brother. Hinton. It's good about Jess and Selena. Really good."

Rory froze and then glanced at Spencer. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning it's good," Spencer's smile faltered. "A baby is a good thing."

"For them," Rory's voice lowered. She scowled, not at him but at her own actions. She knew what Spencer was saying was just in response to good news but this stupid part of her brain just seemed to pick up on things and spin them and spin them, making them bigger and bigger lack a stick of candy floss. The rational part of her mind just seemed to be stunned at her own stupidity, and seemed to be getting smaller each day.

"How do Bubaloos," Lorelai bounced over to the table. "Suitably stuffed?"

"Yeah," Spencer nodded, his voice dimmed.

"Think you can make it up the stairs. I need help," Lorelai asked giving Rory a pointed look.

Rory nodded and numbly got out of her seat, when she rounded the table she heard her Mom and her husband mutter something to each other but her ears didn't seem to pick up the words. Instead she trudged over to the fabric that hid the entrance to Luke's old apartment and slipped through. It confused her when her Mom didn't follow her immediately but she made her way up the stairs and into the old office space. Luke had turned it into a staff room of sorts. There was a set of lockers in the end that had once been Jess's room but Luke's bed was still there for when he had stupid early delivery times. Near the lockers was a worn brown leather couch with an overtired sigh she sank into it and waited. After what could have only been a few minutes but felt longer Lorelai came into the space with two big mugs of coffee and a diner bag in her teeth. Lorelai scurried over released the bag making it drop onto the couch beside Rory and then sat on the other side of it. She handed the coffee over, the whole while her eyes fixed on Rory. "I'm OK," Rory mumbled.

"You sure?"

"No."

"Thought so. So, Wallow?" Lorelai tipped her head.

"I don't need to wallow," Rory shook her head. "I need my brain to clear."

"You still pudding?" Lorelai asked, she settled her mug on her knees and then reached across the space to push a strand of Rory's hair out of her eyes.

"Yeah," Rory nodded. She dropped her head, her neck feeling like it would snap under the weight of her head. "I just…everything is so hard and my head is dumb," she mushed the heel of her hand into her closed eye, pushing the organ savagely so that blobs of florescent colour danced across her eyelid. "I think I'm sick again."

"OK," Lorelai whispered, her hand dropped to Rory's knee, with a gentle squeeze, her voice hesitant she asked. "You have a plan for that though?"

Rory nodded, her head threatening to snap her spine, "plans are hard."

"I know Babe."

"I don't want to keep circling like this. Every few years just ending back in the same spot," she raised her head and looked nervously at her mother. "I just…I don't know."

"OK," Lorelai gave her a soft smile, it was loving but Rory could see the fear in her eyes. "Grandpa has been a setback and today has been tough. But we will get you on the plan, OK. Maybe meds."

"I hate meds," Rory shook her head, "they just make me numb. I'm already pudding without them."

"OK," Lorelai nodded. "But we'll change that therapist because they aren't working." Rory looked guiltily at her hands. "Rory?" Lorelai's voice rose. "I thought you were talking to a therapist, you said you were talking to someone."

"I was," Rory admitted softly. "Grandpa."

"What?"

Rory snuck a small look at her Mom, Lorelai's eyes had widened in surprise, her brow creased in confusion. "I went to this person and she was useless and afterwards I don't even remember what happened somehow it came up when I was talking to him on the phone. He said I could always call him, if I was feeling down. Between talking to him and talking to you, it worked. I still hate everything about Baltimore and I hate my job but it was manageable."

"You were speaking to Dad?" Lorelai's voice was small.

"Mostly we talked about books or nothing at all or you guys, but he had that great tone in his voice. I can't describe it," Rory sighed. "I have this message he left on my cell. I keep playing it over and over. I recorded it to my tablet. I just miss him, he just…between you and him I could manage."

"Ok," Lorelai whispered softly, her thumb rubbed the side of Rory's knee. "Well I'm always here, but I think we need to find you a proper therapist, someone with credentials and if they are useless we'll find someone else until we find the right one."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." Lorelai picked up the diner bag and tossed it out the way, so she could shift across the couch. She wrapped her arms around Rory's shoulders. "Sure you don't want to wallow? Luke keeps a secret stash of rocky road up here."

"Why?"

"I've infiltrated, when Kirk bugs him or whatever." Lorelai giggled. "Sometimes he knows I just need it and he refuses the pay the soda shoppe prices."

"He's a softy," Rory smiled weakly. "He's a good boy."

"You've got a good boy too," Lorelai cooed, her hand squeezed Rory's shoulder. "Mmmh."

"Yeah," Rory sighed, "I keep waiting for him to give up on me".

"He's not gonna give up." Lorelai pressed a kiss into Rory's hair. "You have to stop giving up on you too. We are all struggling right now. I've even broken the Gilmore metabolism."

"Really?" Rory looked listed her head to study her mother. "You don't look any different."

"The scale doesn't lie. I'm thinking of bribing it. Or taking out the battery."

"Battery might be easier," Rory placed her head on her Mom's shoulder.

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily tightened her coat around her as she watched her grandchildren, great granddaughter and whatever relation that Luke's nephew's son was to her running in circles, behaving like they hadn't just eaten three times more than usually. She frowned as she ran through how she was related to Hinton, Great Aunt by marriage once removed, perhaps? It frustrated her, these types of things she should know. Things seemed to be slipping from her these days, names and dates. She had wondered if it was the beginnings of dementia but April had assured her that it was most likely grief messing up her biochemistry. Or at least she was as assured as she could be seeing as how she didn't strictly understand what April had actually told her. Emily checked over her shoulder and looked towards the diner, April was helping Luke tidy up, she could see them talking softly to each other, she smiled as April laughed at something Luke said. Despite all her misgivings she had felt towards Luke over the years given his job and his standing she could not deny he was a good man and a good father, one of the best in fact. She turned and looked back at her younger grandchildren. They looked like children again and it made her feel better. Every time they came to the house they were facsimiles of themselves, to on their best behaviour, too sombre. Seeing them run around, getting red cheeked in the cold was like a soothing balm. Her eye unintentionally caught Willow's eye and the child broke away from the pack, skip running over to her. Willow's cheeks were rosy and her eyes shining, her hair had broken free from her ponytail and was fluffy in the damp November air. Emily held her hands out, not for the first time her mind having to tell her that this was not Lorelai back in child form. Willow jumped into her arms and hugged her tightly. After a moment Willow leaned back still smiling at her. "Grandma, can you come play with us?"

"I much prefer watching," Emily admitted to her.

"Ok, well will you come paint with me?" Willow tried again. "Tomorrow or one of the weekends. I like painting with you."

Emily looked down at the child's earnest face and gave a soft nod. "I will set it up with your Mother."

Willow gave a little squeal of excitement, hugging her tightly. Emily held on for the duration, her arms feeling like she wanted to hang on longer when Willow broke away from her. She followed her granddaughter with her eyes, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

"Mrs Gilmore."

She looked to her left, her brain lagged for a moment and then she remembered her manners. "Congratulations both of you," she spoke softly to Luke's nephew and his wife. Her eyes flicked down to Selena's bare hands, no, she was only his girlfriend. Things were done so differently now. She was a living fossil. She had to remember that things were done differently these days.

"Thank you," Selena placed her hands on the barely there bulge of her stomach.

Irrational envy sliced through Emily's core and she looked down.

"Mommy, Mommy," their little boy was calling, his arms wrapped around Grace as they danced a jig across the wet grass.

Selena gave an apologetic smile and darted off to see what the child wanted. Emily looked sideways at Jess who was doing the same at her. "Are you going to offer me your sympathies?"

"What good would that do you?" Jess retorted. "We sent a card, we've fulfilled the…" he paused searching for the right word, "social niceties. Nothing I can say will make you feel any better, so what's the point?" He shrugged and then scratched the back of his head. "I mean if you want to talk about Richard then I don't mind listening to that, you know specific stuff. But I don't have the patience for platitudes."

Emily looked at the young man and then gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"Welcome," he nodded, glancing over to check his family and then toeing the ground with his scuffed sneaker. "Food was good today."

"It was."

"Speech could have done with some work, but then Luke's an actions man," Jess checked over his shoulder. "Lorelai's the talker."

"Yes, she is," Emily agreed. The pair fell silent, their focus switched back to the children.

"Doing something with your hands is a good substitute," Jess broke the silence. Emily looked across at him in confusion. "To the alcohol. It fills up time too. April." he added as explanation, jerking his head back at the diner. "She worries about you. She knows I've had trouble in the past. Don't be pissed at her."

Emily bristled and looked over her shoulder at the diner. April still visible carrying on with putting the diner back to normal. "I won't be. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Don't do woodwork," he held up his hand, a faint scar visible on his hand. He looked past her and Emily looked around to find Rory's friend walked up towards them with her toddler aged son on her hip. "Lane," Jess muttered behind her.

"Jess. Hello Mrs Gilmore," Lane came to a stop beside her and gave her a pleasant smile. "We've got a bit of free time in our schedule and Mama suggested Joe come join the others." She lowered her son to the ground. He stood unsteadily for a few moments and then tottered off towards the bigger children, chortling away in toddler speak. "I think Mama is hoping he'll tire himself out and not join in with the singing. He's not very tuneful yet. Good with drums but harmonies and melodies are a bit beyond him."

"I can see that," Jess nodded in understanding.

"No Rory?"

Emily cleared her throat and glanced upwards at the office above the diner. "She's talking with Lorelai at the moment."

"Oh," Lane mumbled.

Emily studied Jess' face and correctly assessed that the two young people were having a silent conversation about what had transpired. "She is here until Sunday. I'm sure there will be time for you to catch up."

"Hopefully, though Mama has us on a tight schedule and I have to work on Saturday," Lane gave a soft sigh. "Mrs Gilmore, Mama wanted me to extend an open invitation to you to her craft circle. I'm not sure what they do. Drink tea and eat cake mostly I think, but they meet on a Tuesday at 11 at the store." She smiled weakly and then winced.

Emily turned to look at what had caused it, her son was flat on his face, but the child righted himself and carried on playing.

"Crazy kid," Lane let out a sigh of relief. "I should…" she pointed at the little boy. "Would you tell Rory…"

"Sure," Jess answered.

Emily resumed her watching of the children, perfectly conscious that Jess had inched closer to her. "I don't need babysitting."

"Obviously," Jess mumbled sardonically. "It's a free country, I can stand where I like."

"They look like they are having more fun over there," Emily pointed to the swirling children.

"Fun is subjective," Jess shrugged. "I'm fine right here."

Emily looked the young man up and down, his own dark eyes performing a similar sweeping assessment. "Very well," she mumbled giving him an appreciative nod. He returned it and then both turned to look at the swirling, whooping children.


	24. Snow Day

**AN - Thanks guys, I'm glad you like the Jess Emily dynamic it was a wild card so pleased it worked. Rory stuff is coming, though I'm rewriting the next chapters because they went too dark :S but it will be coming to a head. This chapter tbh is plot free and pure fluff (with a smidge of filth) but with all the sadness I felt you guys need a break. Thank you so much for reading. I'm so pleased everyone is enjoying it even though it's on the sad side right now. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 24 - Snow Day**

With a start Lorelai sat up, the room was dark, there were no small hands trying to climb into bed, the air was still and cool. All was as it should be. Except. She gave a tentative sniff. There it was, that slicing clean scent. It was coming. Properly coming, not just the little smatterings they had been getting the last few weeks, the powder puff sprinkling that looked pretty for five minutes and then melted away. No, this was the first proper snow of the season. Excitement flared through her and without thinking she tapped her hand against Luke's shoulder. He grunted in response. "I smell snow," she whispered into his half-asleep form. "It's coming, my present, it's going to be a big one because it's been such a bad year. An early Christmas present."

"What's big?" Luke's eyes opened to slits.

"The snow." Lorelai pointed to the window.

"What snow?"

"It's coming. I can smell it." Lorelai tickled her hand along his jawline, he squirmed in sleep laden annoyance. "Come on, let's go and wait for it."

"Lorelai."

"It's the first proper snow of the season." She tried to reason with him but his eyes were closed and she realised he had drifted back off to sleep. "Spoilsport," she swung her legs out of bed and then gave a soft yelp. Luke's arms had encircled around her waist. Pulling her back into the bed. "Luke?"

"If it snows it will be there in the morning. In daylight." Luke dragged her back onto the bed and then flopped down with his head on her pillow. "It's night. Sleep."

Lorelai fumbled with his fingers trying to loosen his grip but it was iron clad. Seemingly he understood as the fingers uncurled and the arm underneath her was retracted from beneath her waist, the other firmly remaining in place. "Mean."

"Crazy lady," he mumbled, his breath warm against her ear.

She smiled as he snuggled up behind her and even though she was desperate to see her present, Luke's warmth, the feel of his breath on her, and the sound of his gentle breathing lulled her to sleep.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mommy! Daddy! There's so much. The house has sunk!"

Lorelai jerked awake. Her head narrowly missed Luke's as he did the same. Blearily she peered over him to the doorway where a frantic Willow stood clutching Steely. It took her a moment for her brain to process and then she smiled. Willow, was the only one of the kids who took Steely's care completely seriously. It was her day for rabbit care which meant she had risen early to take care of the hutch. The rabbit was now lodging inside for the winter but the supplies were still outside on the back porch where the hutch usually lived.

"It's snowed," Lorelai whispered.

Willow started forward and then paused just shy of the bed. "Mommy it's snowed so much the house has sunk!"

"The house can't sink," Luke grumbled.

Lorelai crawled across the bed to his side, careful of his knees and lower legs. Willow was stood in her glittery rain boots, snow encrusted in the tread. The reason she had stopped short of the bed was the rug which the bed sat on. Ever the good girl she was trying not to be messy. "Was that from the porch?" Lorelai asked eagerly pointing down at Willow's boots.

"We don't have a porch," Willow told her wide eyed.

"Don't have a porch?" Luke sat up making Lorelai shift to the end of the bed so they didn't collide.

Lorelai grabbed the garment on the end of the bed. One of Luke's flannels and dragged it on to use as a robe. She glanced at the window. Snow was banked on the window sill and from what she could see from her position told her the snow was very heavy. "I wanna see." She held her hand out to Willow who looked down at the rabbit and then at her hand and then at the rabbit again. Lorelai plucked the rabbit from Willows hands and handed it to Luke. "I wanna see."

"Kay Mommy," Willow took her hand in excitement and they started for the door at a gentle trot.

"Wills?" Luke called after them adjusting his hold on the rabbit before he followed. "What do you mean we don't have a porch?"

Lorelai let Willow drag her down the stairs and towards the back of the house. She paused as she saw the snow banked several inches up the lowest panes of glass of the back patio door. The whiteness stretched unbroken, bar what looked like Willow's footsteps to the trees at the back edge of their property. The house was elevated from the ground by about a yard, it took five steps to get onto the porch and then there was a step from the porch into the house. The snow outside was flat. "Oh My God!"

"See Mommy, no porch. I've never seen so much snow," Willow raised her shoulders in delight.

"Me neither," Lorelai looked towards the front of the house, peering through the windows by the door, the snow was still abundant but she could at least see the porch, owing to the wind causing a mini drift at the back of the house.

"AH JEEZ!"

Lorelai and Willow looked up at the ceiling as Luke let out an exclamation of disgust from the landing above.

Willow giggled, "I don't think Daddy's happy about the snow."

"Or maybe Steely pooped on him," Lorelai scrunched her nose in amusement. "How can he not be happy about the snow? Look at the wonderful present mother nature brought us."

"Maybe Grandpa asked her too, because he knows you like snow and you've been sad," Willow suggested. She cuddled into Lorelai's side. "You think school will be cancelled?"

"I guess so. You OK with that?" Lorelai rubbed Willow's shoulder.

"I don't mind missing school for a snow day," Willow grinned up in excitement.

Above them noise sounded as the other children awoke, excitement filled the house as they saw what was awaiting for them outside. Luke appeared at the bottom of the stairs, his face set in stony resignation.

"It's good Daddy," Willow told him, breaking away from Lorelai and skipping over to collect the rabbit.

"For you maybe," Luke sighed and peered out the window with an annoyed huff. "Mrs Town involvement over there signed me up to help in emergencies," he pointed accusingly at Lorelai. "This is an emergency. Not only am I going to miss a day's earnings from the diner because there is no point in opening. I'm gonna have to deal with Taylor all day."

"Maybe Mr Doose will get snowed in. Then Miss Patty or Kirk will be in charge. Or the Reverend," Willow shrugged and cuddled the rabbit. "It won't be so bad Daddy."

"Here's hoping," Luke looked back at the window. "I'm gonna make sure everyone's got hats and gloves and all the other stuff they need."

"Hot chocolate," Lorelai blurted. "We need hot chocolate." Luke rolled his eyes. "Hun, hot chocolate after snowmen and snow angels is very important."

"What's important?" Kitty asked bounding down the steps. "Is it a snow day!"

"I reckon so. But I was telling Daddy we need hot chocolate," Lorelai told her.

"That is very important," Kitty told Luke seriously and bounded down the hallway to look out the back. "Woah!"

"We've got hot chocolate and marshmallows," Luke shook his head in frustration. "I'm gonna make scrambled eggs."

"And bacon," Kitty called her face pressed to the glass.

"No. Sausage," Sam came down the stairs his eyes wide in awe.

"Pancakes," Grace called jumping down each step in turn before completing a large leap to land at Luke's feet and wrap her arms around his legs. "Daddy so much snow,"

"Yeah there is," Luke patted her head and then shot Lorelai a tired look. "You gonna add anything else to this feast I'm making?"

"hmmm," Lorelai sounded, delighting in his eye roll as she teased him. "We've got eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon…hmmm."

"Lorelai!"

"Cinnamon toast," Lorelai tipped her head pleadingly.

"Fine," Luke shook his head in dismay. "I'm gonna make breakfast," he tapped Grace on the head. "You want to help me?"

"No," Grace screwed her face up and jumped back as if burned. "I wanna look at the snow."

"Looking is fine. No one outside until after breakfast and after we've heard that school is definitely closed," Luke took a step towards the kitchen.

"Daddy," Kitty looked back at him from her position by the door. "The ground is missing. There is gonna be no school!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"So what did they say?" Emily asked curiously as April made her way into the dining room from the study where she had been making a call to her work.

"The building is closed, a pipe has burst. They will let me know when we can get back in." April took her place behind a plate of scrambled eggs on toast. April glanced at Emily's plate a small bowl of fruit salad. "Do you want any Grandma? Berta's made me way too much."

"Oh no, I'm fine thank you April. So," Emily placed her spoon on the side plate. "You are stuck with me for the day. Unless you have work you need to be getting on with for your applications."

"I have a schedule for that," April waved her hand. "I guess I have the day." She glanced at Emily cautiously. "I have nothing planned. What would you like to do?" Emily's face froze for a moment and then softened in thought. "We could window shop?" she suggested. "Or watch a movie?"

"Window shop?" Emily's brow creased, her dark eyes darting towards the patio doors and the snow visible outside.

"Online. For Christmas. I could help you pick out what to get the kids. You can either order it or if you don't want to use the online payment system we could maybe go actually shopping together to get them," April shrugged like it was no big deal. She hated shopping but if she could get her grandma to go out and do something more than just obligation meetings and hair appointments she would gladly suffer the pain of the mall.

The smallest of smiles brightened Emily's face. "Alright."

"Cool," April grinned, "I'll finish this and then go grab my tablet…my computer," she added seeing Emily's expression change to worry over the word tablet.

"Window shopping. I have actually started to make a list. I've just not found the energy to actually go to the mall. So many people," Emily rolled her eyes. "All these people just moping about with no bags. They aren't there shopping, just taking up space."

"I wanna murder them too," April gave Emily a cautious but joking look, she cut a portion of the toast and speared it with the fork so she could eat it. At home she would just pick it up, but Emily expected a certainly level of decorum, eating with your hands at the table was not allowed.

"I wouldn't say murder them," Emily tipped her head in consideration, "Hamstring perhaps."

April raised her eyebrows and chuckled in amusement, Emily looked mildly pleased at the reaction. "So unbothered shopping and then a movie?"

"I wouldn't know what to watch," Emily waved her hand dismissively.

"You like dance movies right?" April pressed. "I have a streaming service maybe we can find one from there and I can connect the tv up?" She studied her grandma's face Emily's nose wrinkling in distaste. "Or maybe a board game?"

"A board game?" Emily wriggled in her seats.

"Yeah, like Scrabble, or Trivial Pursuit. I don't do monopoly," April shook her head in disgust, "and I am chutes and laddered out."

"Scrabble," Emily wriggled again, this time with a distinct air of enthusiasm. "Yes. I'd like tha.t"

"Cool. Shopping and scrabble. I'll get my computer, we can get shopping and then we can play scrabble. I'll go tell Berta, she's gonna need to keep us in coffee."

"Some snacks also," Emily mused. "Those little wafer cookies. I'm sure we have some."

"Wafer cookies," April smiled, it was the first time Emily had expressed wanting to eat anything specific. She glanced towards the door of the kitchen, Berta was listening just out of Emily's line of sight, like always, waiting for when she was needed. Silently Berta mimed going out, which April took to mean that there were no wafer cookies but that the ever faithful maid was willing to trek through the snow to get them.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mommy Look!"

Lorelai looked around, having to get up on her knees to see over the crest of the snow. The snow was the best part of 3 ft deep. Before Luke had left to wade into town he had churned up a section of snow near the back porch so the kids could enjoy it. Even so the snow angels were very deep. She and the kids had made snow angels, had had a snowball fight and the twins and Sam were building an igloo. Grace was building snow castles on the porch. Lorelai had been helping Sam carve his next block for the igloo and hadn't realised that Kitty had crept off. She frowned at Kitty, her daughter stood on the porch railing.

"Kitty, get down Bubba."

"Look Mommy," Kitty called again and then jumped into the air.

Lorelai winced at the distance and began to stand up; falling into the snow from that height was still going to hurt. Kitty disappeared into the white expanse and then suddenly appeared again, bouncing back up into the air, her daughter cackling in delight. It took her a moment to process what was happening. The trampoline. Kitty was bouncing off the little metre square trampoline that the twins had had half their lives. Kitty turned in the air and then landed in the snow, disappearing beneath the thick white crust. Her heart crunched in her chest, and then began to pound so quickly she thought it would burst out of her. Lorelai began to wade through the snow. It came up to her mid thigh and it was almost impossible to walk through. "Kitty!"

She was answered with a laugh which did a bit to lessen the panic but not stop it completely "Bubba!"

"I'm here Mommy," Kitty's hand appeared above the snow.

Lorelai powered through the snow and found Kitty laying scrunched up in her freshly made hole in the snow. From Lorelai's perspective it looked wholly uncomfortable but Kitty was grinning and giggling. "Bubba, don't scare me like that," Lorelai reached out to take Kitty's hands.

"I want to do it Mommy," Grace called.

Lorelai looked towards the porch rail, Grace was attempting to climb up onto the rails. Fortunately she was failing because of her lack of height. "No Shortcake, no one is jumping off the porch. Kitty shouldn't have done it." She grabbed Kitty's hand and pulled helping the child climb out of deep snow. "Please don't do that again Bubba. My heart is racing." Seeing that Kitty was going to struggle walking through the snow, she lifted Kitty into her arms and then retraced her path back to the cleared area. "I think you deserve a punishment." She whispered in Kitty's ear as she set her on the ground and then reached to grab a handful of snow to dump down Kitty's top. Kitty swerved away. Lorelai threw the snow in the air the bulk of it landing on Kitty who giggled and danced away from her.

"Mommy," Grace called again. This time sounding pained.

Lorelai glanced over her shoulder, Grace had managed to pull herself up onto the rail and was now stuck the rail pressed into her middle, her head one side of the rails her legs kicking on the other. "Hang on Shortcake," Lorelai headed for the porch and moved as quickly as she dared. She lifted Grace into her arm and fixed her youngest with a serious stare. "That didn't go well."

"No," Grace admitted with a fierce nod. "I wanna build Olaf."

"OK," Lorelai set her down. "Lets build Olaf."

"DO YOU WANNA BUILD A SNOWMAN," Kitty started shrieking tunelessly.

"COME on Lets go and play," Willow joined in, losing interest in the half built igloo.

Sam sat up from his studious construction work and pouted. He considered his sisters for a moment before looking at Lorelai in a pained expression as the twins continued their rendition of the Disney song. "Mommy. I really wanna build the igloo."

"We can build snowmen and igloos," Lorelai let Grace down to the ground who instantly went to join her sisters with the singing. The song rattled through her brain and she descended the stairs "I'll help you Little Man. They don't need my help."

"Except with their singing," Sam sighed, his expression stoic. "You sing good. They don't." Lorelai placed her hands over the back of Sam's head as the snowball flew through the air. The snow broke across her gloved hands, though some still coated Sam's jacket. "I think we have a pause in the building Baby Boy."

"Yes," Sam nodded seriously. He broke the corner of the brick he had been working so hard on and pressed it into his hands forming a haphazard ball. "ATTACK!" he bellowed spinning on his knees to lob the snowball in the direction of his sisters, the singing giving way to laughter.

Lorelai gave a scream as a snowball hit her square in the head from behind. Beside the stinging pain from the force of it she was genuinely confused because the children where in front of her, unless the rabbit had learned to throw. She turned, another snowball flew at her face. With a scream she raised her arms across her face and was just buffeted by the breaking ball. Luke stood on the porch with an amused smirk on his face. His hands were scraping up more snow to use as ammo. "Don't you dare. Lucas Danes do not…" she ducked as he threw the ball at her. Standing up she brought her own ball with her and threw it. It arched for a moment and then landed several yard before the porch. She stared at the little heap in dismay and scowled as Luke chuckled. "Don't make fun of my throwing ability. I'm a girl."

"Where's the feminism?" Luke called moving along the porch and then down the steps. He held his hands up to indicate a truce. When he was close enough she smacked her hands in annoyance against his chest. "I'm taking my name off that list."

"I only use feminism when it gets me what I want or allows me to moan when I don't get what I want. I will use any reason to explain away my failings rather than own them, even if it means selling out my gender," Lorelai pouted and narrowed her eyes. "Your name should stay on that list as punishment."

"If you want to punish me, have me do that thing you like and I hate," Luke countered his eyes moving to study the snow wards behind them.

"Be more specific," Lorelai looked at him imploringly. "You hate many many things, it's like 25% of your personality."

"The downstairs thing that hurts my knees, not the food thing, that makes crumbs," Luke blushed.

"Seven excitement?" Lorelai's voice raised in excitement. "And you're right no one wants ants."

"What's seven excitement Mommy?" Willow darted over and hid behind Luke. "Daddy help us. And why not food? You like food."

"Conversations for another never," Lorelai shook her head. "Who's winning?"

"We all are," Willow shrugged and darted out from behind Luke. "No one loses with snow."

"Except Taylor," Luke smirked slightly.

"Did he fall?" Lorelai raised her eyebrow.

"His awning gave out, dumped all the snow on him. Picture's going to be in the gazette. A Taylor Doose snowman."

Lorelai grabbed his arm chuckling. "See snow even brings you presents."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke turned his head to look over the back of the couch. Lorelai was pacing around the hallway, walking in a circle as she continued her conversation. Every so often she would stop her pacing and bounced from side to side. So far she had talked to Michel and April and was now on the phone to Rory. Her movement was making him feel even more exhausted. After his morning in town resisting the urge to not murder Taylor until the guys from the town depot sent everyone home so they weren't in the way he had spent the afternoon playing with the Kids and Lorelai. He was trying to assuage the disgust he felt over the number of marshmallows the kids had consumed by factoring in how much they had actually run around. It was pretty much all he was capable of doing seeing as how every muscle in his body was now hurting. He only hurt so much because of the unusual activity not because of his age, at least that was what he kept telling himself.

He looked up as Lorelai scurried into the living room, the phone was still pressed to her ear but any trace of a smile had been wiped away. He held his breath. She slumped into the couch beside him and raised her free arm gesturing wildly despite the other partner in the conversation being unable to see it. "If you buy me that I will be soooooo upset. That is nearly as bad as anti-wrinkle cream. I mean just buy me a zimmer frame…apology accepted…uh huh…as long as it's the actual copy and not a digital copy…because the kids never let me use it and I like reading magazines…uh same thing as your relationship with physical books…yeah…OK…well…I wish you snow…Bye Babe." Lorelai set her phone down and peered at him. "I don't know, millennials. I'm getting a magazine subscription magazine not yet decided. Don't ask what the horrible awful idea was. It's too upsetting. I take comfort from the fact that she has had rain all day, no snow in sight."

"Sure," Luke nodded, knowing it was best "She alright beside that?"

Lorelai sighed heavily "This therapist was OK, tried with meds. She's fighting that." she rolled her eyes. She looked down, and stared at her phone. "At least it's something."

"Yeah," Luke squeezed her knee.

"So," Lorelai bounced clearly trying to make herself feel better. "I believe there was mention of a seven excitement."

Luke winced and looked down at himself. "Can we rain check, that requires movement."

"But the alternative is crumbs." Lorelai pouted playfully. "Or…"

"Or," he looked at her warily.

"Shower, the crumbs go straight down the plug whole, nothing sticky gets in the sheets and we can massage each other's aches." Lorelai gave him a beaming smile clearly please with herself. "I'm gonna get chocolate sauce. You start going upstairs."

"Lorelai I was only kidding…"

"Uh uh," Lorelai gave him a serious stare. "The cat is out, and she wants to make crumbs in the shower. I promise I will make it worth your while," she waggled her eyebrows. "I'll do that thing you like that I don't," she sat back. "Not sure of the logistics on that one in the shower, but we can have fun trying. Come on. Up. Today is a day of presents."


	25. Remove the Bindings

**AN - Thanks Elang - There will be more of April and Emily and I'm really hoping you like where it goes, it's a little bit of a risk but I'm hoping it pays off ;). So I know I promised it would get happier but there is a bit more of a bump in the road. This was a lot darker first time round but it's still up there. I'm sure some of you have guessed this was coming. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 25 –Remove the Bindings**

Rory paused as the eyes of her therapist darted upwards again. Rory turned a fraction and peered over her shoulder. A red light was flashing silently. "Do I…"

"I'm afraid we are actually over time," the therapist smiled apologetically and softly closed the clothbound notebook she had been using to take notes of the session. "The person after you is nearly always late. You were doing so well I wanted to let you carry on. I mean they are late but today not as late as usual. Normally we would have more time."

"Oh. Right." Rory nervously scratched the inside of her left elbow. "Ok."

"Now, before you go. I just want to check you're happy with the techniques we spoke of?" the therapist shuffled forward on her seat. Rory gave a soft nod. "Good. Don't worry if they don't connect with you. Some methods work better for some people then others and it is about finding the right one to work for you. Just give them a fair go."

"OK," Rory nodded.

"Good," The therapist stood and gave Rory a beauteous smile until Rory rose from her own seat. "I'll see you next week."

"Next week," Rory nodded once more. "Thank you," she mumbled and slipped out of the door into the reception. She checked her next appointment slot with the receptionist, ignoring the rather annoyed man sat in the corner glaring at her and with a weak smile stepped out of the serene reception area into the nondescript hallway of a multipurpose office building. She quickened her pace, not slowing until she came level with the accountant's office further down the hall. She liked her therapist, which made a change from some of the others she had seen, but she hated the office she practised out of. For whatever reason the multicompany building made her feel like someone would see her and where she had come from. She wasn't sure who, but felt that whoever that person was would judge her and she really didn't want to be judged. It was why she wore what she did, smart pants and a blouse so she looked like she belonged to the accountancy firm not the psychologist. The rational part of her brain told her that was stupid, but that part seemed quieter and quieter these days. She knew in the long run that therapy would work, but sometimes with digging things up, things got worse before they got better.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Why are you bouncing?" Michel hissed casting Lorelai a sideways glance.

"I'm not bouncing," Lorelai returned the look and forced her leg to still. She had been craning her neck to see Tom outside on the desperately slow thawing plot that was to be the spa. The contractor had come to confirm final measurements for his steels and check ground conditions. She had of course gone out to meet him but Tom had licked his pencil so many times in an attempt to get her to leave she had been worried he might get lead poisoning and had retreated to the front desk.

"Go bounce elsewhere Tigger lady," Michel wafted his hand at her.

"I'm not bouncing, and I only have work in the office, you can't see anything from the office and I need to see. You get mad at me if I futz with the curtains…"

"There is to be no futzing," Michel barked and then gave a heavy sigh. "Why do you torture me so? With the bouncing and the futzing and the using up all the voicebox."

"The what?" Lorelai turned to look at him curiously, her interest piqued enough to stop her worrying about Tom finding something drastically wrong to delay the construction.

"The voicebox on the cell phone, on Sookie's cellphone, you took up all the space," Michel rolled his eyes. "I wanted to moan at her for abandoning us and to tell her she was no longer welcome and I have permanently given away her job."

"Michel!"

Michel glared reproachfully at her. "But you filled it up. I know it was you. You have been calling her too much. And then I was in such a tizzy with the abandonment and the annoyance that I agreed with Frederick to make a baby, or order a baby. I don't know how it works, but one will be coming and I will have all the gross things that you have on your clothes on my clothes. This is silk," he gently held up his lapel. "This is not for babies to get sick on."

Lorelai smiled softly. "You and Frederick are trying to have a baby?"

"I don't know…have…buy," Michel rolled his eyes and then pouted. "He wants that…mess…but it makes him happy and I like for him to be happy."

"I never thought I would see the day. Michel Gerrard putting the happiness of another human being before his own," Lorelai smiled playfully at him. "My how your petty selfish heart has grown."

"Stop it!" Michel's pout transformed into a scowl. "This is why I do not discuss my private life with you. You always mock."

"It is one of my special skills," Lorelai held up her hands to signify a truce. "But. I promise. No more. And as for Sookie I told you she was going to let us know February 1st what her plans were. It's not my fault she has not deleted her messages."

Michel sighed heavily and his voice softened, sounding almost sad "Do you believe she will come back?"

"I don't know," Lorelai looked back towards the front door. "Other than the February 1st date she was more interested in talking about my Dad and then berating Luke and I for not doing anything for our tenth wedding anniversary."

"You were in no mood for celebrating. She would know this if she was here. What would you have done? Eaten more then you were already."

"Hey, Ixnay on the body shaming," Lorelai raised her eyebrows, subtly adjusting her blouse.

"I was not shaming. There is nothing too shame. You did not even puff and here was I hoping for ballooning. I hate that you can eat all that junk and stay looking so good. I so much as look at cake. Kabloom 50 pounds heavier," Michel scowled. "It is a travesty."

"Your math skills and understanding of human physiology are a travesty. My eating habits are just the work of Hades. Ooh Tom," Lorelai bounced again, pleased to see the contractor cross the inns frontage. Michel made a squeak of annoyance. "I'll take him into the restaurant."

"Just bounce away from me," Michel waved his hand. "Make sure he wipes his feet. The maids are on break and people will slip and fall if he leaves muddy wet footprints."

"Tom," Lorelai opened the door ignoring Michel's moaning behind her. "I'm hoping for good news. Are we a go?"

Tom gave her a look of the chronically put upon and gave a heavy sigh. "I can order the steels. The ground needs to thaw some more. Unless anything happens. More snow for example. I'd say…maybe…we can start 2-3 weeks."

"2-3 weeks," Lorelai held her breath. "Start in 2-3 weeks. Michel did you hear that?"

"Oh Goody." Michel mumbled uninterestedly, "loud banging and filthy men all over the inn."

"Michel Dirty!" Lorelai waved her hand grinning excitedly at Tom. "Ignore him. That's just how he likes it. Would you like a coffee and maybe a muffin or a scone?"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Rory?"

She marked her place on the slide she was reviewing and looked up at her line supervisor. Mark, normally a florid red colour actually looked pale and for a moment she wondered if he was sick. Then she noticed his hands. He was wringing them nervously. Inwardly she sighed, this meant he was probably about to dump something on her. Karen, her push her sick leave to the max colleague was a no show today. It probably meant that she would be covering Karen's work. Just what she needed when they were about to enter the panic of senior essay's and research projects and all the writing and academic skills sessions become oversubscribed because students seemingly forgot how to write an assignment even though they must have done it at least 100 times prior to this final piece of work.

"Do you have a minute to talk in my office?" Mark turned and walked to his office, indicating that it was a rhetorical question. Office was generous. It was supposed to be a breakout meeting room, designed so the meeting had minimum impact on the others working in the office. There was no door and the wall was glass. It was like a giant fishbowl. Mark had commandeered it to make himself seem important or reinforce his higher grade. With a sigh she stood, Daphne sat opposite looked away refusing to make eye contact. Confused by this she crossed the room and slipped into the fishbowl. "Thank you Rory." Mark fiddled with something on his desk. An envelope. He handed it out to her. "I'm sorry. We lost a funding stream. There is your final payslip, as well as your pink slip," he babbled and then looked at the white envelope insistently. "I will happily give you a reference. You've done excellent work."

Slowly she reached out and took the envelope. Mark looked relieved, colour returning to his cheeks, his shoulders lifted of their burden. "I'm being laid off," The words came out matter-of-factly. It wasn't a question just a confirmation of what was happening. She felt something inside her ping. Actually heard the physical noise and then the rational part of her exhausted brain went to sleep. She turned and walked out of the fishbowl over to her desk. She grabbed what was hers; her mug, her notebook, her memory stick. A photograph of her family, her pen. Then she grabbed her coat and her purse, shoved her belongings inside and walked past Daphne and Mark and out of the office into the library, walking towards the foyer and the main entrance. When she saw daylight she started to run.

* * *

 **xXx**

April smiled softly as she listened to the soft exhalation of excitement from her grandmother. They were sat in the den upstairs watching _Bill Nye the Science Guy_. She'd discovered her favourite tv series from when she was a kid on a streaming service and even though she had seen them too many times to count and had them on vhs and still had the vhs player she had asked her grandma if she could binge the series. Emily curious as to what binging actually meant had joined her and they had watched the first 6 episodes in one night. Now they watched one episode a day when April got home from work. Her plan to find something environmental to work on for the next six months had fallen away when she realised that anything really exciting would mean she would have to leave Hartford. Instead she had taken a job at a local coffee store while volunteering on local conservation projects. Watching the old favourite show was a pleasant way to shrug off the day and Emily seemed to enjoy it.

April actually enjoyed the gentle time with her grandmother. When she got talking, Emily was more than just doting grandma, there was this vibrancy and passion that made April grieve for her Grandma's lost potential. Nowadays she had the strong feeling that her Grandma could be an academic or curator, no matter how often Emily would end the conversation with a 'but I never intended to be a historian'. Each time it always sounded flat, like Emily was trying to make herself believe it.

"That simply cannot be the case," Emily shook her head in response to what had been said on the screen.

"Well kind of," April sat forward. "The show is like twenty years old now so the field has moved on a bit and it is simplified for the audience, but pretty much."

Emily shook her head in disbelief. "Well, I never knew that. There isn't a display on it at the Hartford Natural History museum." She shuffled forward. "I know several people on the board, I shall have to have words. Why are we not teaching people about this?" she gestured at the screen.

"You have a function that they will be at?" April asked cautiously. Emily didn't exactly go out an awful lot, her club meetings but only if she felt like it. The only appointments that were never missed was the hair and nails.

"Yes. Nora is organising a benefit," Emily muttered not taking her eyes off the screen. "I'm not sure what it's for, perhaps a new liver for her, but it's always important to support your true friends. You can come if you like. Nora finds you …" she paused and glanced at April sheepishly, "enjoys what you bring to the party."

"Bring out everyone's homophobia and misogyny you mean." April shrugged. "I know. She told me. She likes that it gives her things to blackmail people for donations with. Get them to assuage their guilt."

"How very Nora," Emily chuckled softly. "Which reminds me my stylist Celine is coming tomorrow. You may want to stay out of the way, she will most likely try and burn your clothes if she sees you and she will try and force you into a dress or skirt suit. She's very good but a bit old fashioned." Emily patted April's hand, her eyes still fixed to the children's show. "She likes everything the same. You shouldn't lose your individuality. These things are very important."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Georgia?"

Gigi looked up from her cellphone as Mrs Bowler her History teacher who refused, no matter how many times it had been requested, to call her Gigi, rolled to a stop along side her in her car while she stood waiting at the school gate. "Hi Mrs Bowler."

"Is someone collecting you? It's nearly 6." The teacher peered at her through the open passenger window.

"My Mom was supposed to be but she's not answering her cell." Gigi glanced at the screen of her phone again. "Dad's at a conference in Vancouver so he can't pick me up, but I don't know where my Mom is. Maybe she got caught up at work or there is traffic or something."

"Georgia," the teacher's voice was calm and soothing. "Why don't I take you home?"

"Are you allowed to do that?" Gigi peered at the teacher.

"We're not supposed to but the alternative is waiting with you until you do get picked up. It's freezing and I have Chinese take out on order according to my husband so…" she leaned across to open the door. "Just message your parents to say what's happening."

"Thank you," Gigi climbed into the car. She gasped, it was boiling in comparison to the outside. She had been stood by the gate for the best part of an hour.

"Why you kids don't wear gloves I don't know," the teacher adjusted one of the car blowers to face more towards Gigi.

"Damages our reps," Gigi shrugged, typing the messages as quickly as her frozen hands would allow.

School was only a fifteen minute drive and she and Mrs Bowler kept up a pleasant conversation for the time it took to reach home. When they pulled up in front of the house Gigi frowned, her Mom's car was there but parked at an odd angle, like it had driven over the corner of the lawn and not been corrected. The house was dark. Gigi swallowed and glanced at the teacher who wore an expression of attempted concealment of concern.

"Thank you for bringing me home," Gigi smiled as widely as she could and opened the passenger door. "I guess Mom's taking a nap," she pointed at the car on the driveway. "I hope you enjoy your Chinese."

"Thank you Georgia," the teacher smile weakly.

Gigi closed the door and walked up the path. She could feel the teacher watching her, it was like prickles in the back of her head. She dug her key out of her purse and opened the door, waving goodbye for emphasis as she turned on the light. The teacher waved back but didn't drive off and so Gigi closed the door. She could see the car still sat there for a few moments, Mrs Bowler studying the house, clearly unsure if she should be left alone. Gigi wasn't sure she should be left alone but once she had taken her coat and shoes off and put them away Mrs Bowler finally drove slowly away. Gigi breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure why. Mrs Bowler had been nice but she didn't like the being watched feeling. That and she had a feeling that something else was happening that she didn't want an audience for.

Her Mom had not been doing so well, not since Grandpa Richard died, maybe before that. Every so often she'd catch her lose focus and stare off into space or her Mom would get angry over the stupidest of things. When she'd tried to ask her, her Mom had said she was fine. When she'd ask her Dad he said that her Mom was not feeling herself but she would be OK. She'd known better then to ask further but she had discussed it with her friends and the 12 and 13 year olds had diagnosed her Mom with depression. Certainly her research of depression had matched up to what she saw in her Mom. If it was, she didn't want her teachers to see. Mom wouldn't like being seen like that.

"Mom?" she called cautiously. The hallway light illuminated the empty kitchen and living room. Slowly Gigi made her way up the stairs. As she neared the top she found her Mom's purse and her shoes trailing towards the small room at the back of the house that was her Mom's study. Gigi crept along the landing and peered around the corner of the door. She swallowed down her cry of surprise. Her Mom was sat on the floor hugging the cover of a book to her chest just staring into space. The pages of the book were strewn around the room. Ripped and torn. Gigi picked her way across the paper over to her Mom. "Mom?" she crouched in front of her. "Mom?" Rory blinked hard and then stared at her focused for a second before her eyes slid back into whatever stupor she was in. Even in a stupor the bright blue of her eyes shone out in the gloom.

"Gi…" Rory coughed unable to talk for some reason.

"Mom?" Gigi whispered forcing herself to smile. "I'm going to get you a drink of water. I'll be right back" Slowly she retreated from the room her heart racing in panic.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Danes residence," he barked down the phone at the sixth ring. He never understood why people would call at this time of night, everyone knew that between 6 and 8 was peak getting the kids fed, bathed and into bed. There was a hiss of static on the line. "Hello?" he demanded ready to swear at whoever this telemarketer was.

"Pops?"

"Gigi?" Luke felt the tension rush out of him to be replaced by surprise and then confusion. "Is everything OK?"

"I…I…" Gigi stammered. "I don't know."

"Are You OK?" Luke asked her. He frowned she was panting, sounding panicked

"There's something wrong with Mom," Gigi's voice hitched, warbling slightly as she said the last part "She didn't pick me up from school so a teacher brought me home and when I got here she's just sat in her office. She's not moving, I don't know what to do."

Luke blinked as he absorbed what she had just garbled at him. "OK, hang on a sec, I'm gonna get Lorelai."

"OK?" Gigi's voice was small.

Luke turned and looked towards the kitchen, Lorelai was in a eat five mouthfuls battle with Grace. Grace appeared to be winning. He waved his hand at her. She frowned not moving from her place and mouthed what? At him. "Gigi's on the phone, there is something wrong with Rory." He and the children jumped as Lorelai's chair clattered backwards. She flew at him and he grimaced as Lorelai wrenched the phone from his hand, strong enough to feel like she would break a fingers.

"Gigi honey?" Lorelai spoke into the phone moving into the living room.

"What's wrong with Rory Daddy?" Willow asked, the other children had stopped speaking all attention on him.

"She's not feeling very well." Luke muttered lamely. "Mommy's going to sort it out, lets finish dinner" he walked back from his seat. Grace obediently picked up her fork and began to eat the food that she had just been refusing to eat. All of the kids would take a mouthful and then glance at Lorelai pacing in the living room. After only two minutes Lorelai came into the kitchen clutching the phone in her hands with white knuckle intensity. "Go look at flights," Luke spoke before she got at chance. He could see in her face the burning need to be with Rory. "We'll make it work."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Excuse me?"

Lorelai turned to look at the man sat alongside her. She had paid a stupid amount of money to get the last flight of the evening from Hartford to Baltimore and now after busting her ass to get to the airport on time they were sat waiting for a straggler. She just wanted to get going so she could get to Rory.

"Are you a nervous flyer?" the man continued, he looked down pointedly at her leg.

"What?" Unconsciously she had been jiggling it in impatience as she stared towards the open door of the plane willing them to close it. "No. I just want them to get going. My daughter isn't very well. I need to get to her and…"

"It's just I have work to do." the man cut her off. "So if you could maybe…"

"I'll stay quiet and still, maybe you could refrain from being a selfish jackass and well get along fine." she gave him her most saccharine smile. She glanced behind her as someone gave a snort of amusement.

"If you want…"

Lorelai jumped and rotated to look at the older woman who was sat on the other side of the aisle one row in front. "If you want," the woman repeated. "I could switch. My husband is already asleep."

"There you go," Lorelai stood up and gestured widely towards the woman. Her seat mate blinked at her in surprise but did slowly get up pulling his bag from beneath the seat and grumbling under his breath took the seat that the older woman had just vacated. Lorelai fell into the window seat and then smiled gratefully as the woman took her seat. "Thank you."

"Not at all. Is your daughter OK?"

"I don't know," Lorelai admitted softly. "My granddaughter called me all in a panic. It's um…" she tapped the side of her head. "I kind of wish it was a broken leg. That I can actually help with."

"I know what you mean. These things are so hard to deal with," The woman sighed and then smiled pleasantly. "You don't look old enough to have a granddaughter."

"Well," Lorelai grimaced. "I had Rory at sixteen and she adopted her half sister by her father who was born when she was eighteen. Technically, I'm Auntie Glama because I refused to be Grandma. My mother is Grandma."

"My goodness," the woman chuckled. "It's a shame the flight only an hour long. Barely time to unpick this at all."

"You don't need to…I mean…" Lorelai blushed.

"This sounds more interesting then my book," the woman gestured to her paperback on her lap "and if I can help distract you then mores the better."

"Thanks," Lorelai inhaled drawing her shoulders up to her ears. She caught the flight attendant's eye. "Excuse me can we purchase beverages?"

"There is a drinks service once we are in the air." The attendant told her. "We hope to get under way shortly.

"Ok, great. We're gonna need a lot of gin and…"

"Gin for me also."

"Gin. We're gonna need gin and whatever snacks you got. Nutty, pretzelly I don't care. Snack me up," Lorelai slumped back into her seat. "And coffee,"

"There is a Starbucks as you come out of arrivals," the woman told her as the flight attended walked away giving them a mildly critical look. "And a Macdonalds. So you will be able to get a caffeine hit there. It sounds like you will need it."

* * *

 **xXx**

Jackline and Bill Maxwell were kind enough to give her a lift from the airport to Rory's house. Bill, sleepily confused about the friend his wife had made on flight, was very efficiently employing the husband prerogative of just keeping silent as they rolled through the nearly empty streets. It was almost eleven by the time she reached Rory's house. She thanked them profusely as she shouldered her overnight bag and then made her way up the path. She only got halfway when the red door of Rory's house was thrown open and Gigi came bursting out. The thirteen year old was dressed in her school uniform, an almost copy of Rory's own school uniform just in Marroon. Lorelai caught Gigi and hugged her tightly. Five hours of having to contend with this alone had torn Gigi's nerves to shreds the teen sobbing into her shoulder. "Come on Cutie," Lorelai rubbed her shoulders and guided her to the door. She looked over the shoulder, the Maxwell's were waiting to check she got in safe and she offered them a half wave of thanks as she manoeuvred Gigi into the house. "Take you're socks off," Lorelai told her, noting that Gigi only had socks on her feet. "Have you eaten?"

"I had toast. I tried to get Mom to eat but she wouldn't. She had a bit of water. She won't move. She just looks straight though me," Gigi sniffed ominously. "Dad called. He's trying to get home."

"Where is he again?"

"Vancouver," Gigi dropped her wet socks to the ground and came back for another hug. "Should I have called 911?"

"No. You've done exactly the right thing." Lorelai cuddled her. She kissed Gigi's crown. "You did everything right. Now," she held Gigi's shoulders and leaned away slightly so she could look Gigi in the face. "I want you to go get ready for bed. I know you don't feel like sleeping but get ready for bed and get some rest."

"What about Mom?" Gigi asked softly.

"I'll look after her."

"She's upstairs in her office," Gigi pointed needlessly upstairs. She grabbed Lorelai's hand and started towards the stairs pulling her with her.

Lorelai didn't really need the extra impetus. She gained on Gigi on the stairs and rushed towards the office nearly tripping over the shoes on the floor. She swallowed back her exclamation of horror when she saw Rory. Her daughter was sat still like a statue, staring into space, clutching a black cover to her chest. Paper littered the office, obviously pulled from the cover. She stepped between the gaps in the pages, hopscotching across the office to reach Rory. She knelt down in front of her. Rory just seemed to stare right through her, staring at something invisible in the far distance. Lorelai reached forward to tease the remains of the book from Rory's arms. Rory didn't fight her. Lorelai stared at the remains for a moment. Sadness coursed through her. The hard copy of Rory's thesis. Rory had ripped the physical representation of her intelligence to pieces. "Rory?" she whispered softly, reaching to stroke Rory's cheek. "Rory? Rory it's Mom."

Rory's eyes focused on her face. Confusion crossing her thin features "Mom?"

The sound of Rory's voice was as good as oxygen. "Yes Rory it's me."


	26. I Can't

**AN - Thank you guys. Yes sorry it was a bit cliffhangery the structure of the original chpater kind of forced it. It was originally really quite dark and frantic and ended up with Rory in Stars Hollow not Lorelai in Baltimore. This means that this chapter is kind of short. Hindsight they could have probably been one chapter, as this one had alot cut from it because it was the kids not understanding what is going on Luke explaining etc because it didn't really make sense. Anyways onwards, kind of, but the immediate aftermath of the storm. Thank you for reading, I hope you like it, sorry it's a bit short, let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 26 – I Can't**

Somehow she had got Rory into bed. It was all a blur and the hours that followed wasn't much better. Rory burbled but made no sense and in the end they did what they had done the last time she had broken so badly. They just lay on the bed with Rory clinging to her. Bit by bit Lorelai felt the tension in her daughter leech away until finally Rory drifted off to sleep.

Fifteen minutes after she did Lorelai's cellphone vibrated with a call. Rory's grip had loosened in sleep and Lorelai sat up. Her hand remained on her daughter she pulled her cellphone out from the back pocket of her jeans. With uncanny insight Luke had known when to call. "Hun?"

"How is she? Is Gigi OK?"" Luke asked softly. "Did she say anything?"

"Nothing that made sense," Lorelai looked back at Rory and then at the dresser across from the bed, it held photos of Spencer and Rory and Gigi. All smiles and laughter. "Gigi's ok as she can be." Luke inhaled deeply, she could imagine his chest puffing up but not deflating as he silently fumed with what was happening. "She's in her room. I should check on her, but I don't want to leave Rory right now. Spencer's called. He's trying to sort out earlier flights but he's due back tomorrow night anyway."

"Ok," Luke mumbled. "Did he say anything?"

Lorelai shook her head. "Not really," she whispered. "He's worried, confused. He said she was doing OK. He doesn't know what made her flip out. Something has to have happened it's just like it was with her last breakd…" she faltered and then felt her face crumple. Not wanting to take her hands off Rory she tipped her head forward wishing that Luke was really here so he could hold her tight.

"It's OK. She's safe." Luke whispered. "Ok. You got her. She's safe."

"I know we do…but…" Lorelai lifted her head and looked back at Rory. She looked peaceful but she looked diminished. "She's been down for so long and I tried but with everything and the distance it just…she just…"

"She's a gr…"

"She needed me," Lorelai interrupted him. "She needed me and what did I offer a weekend away and phone calls? I'm a b…" Luke shushed her down the phone. "I am."

"No you aren't," he told her forcefully. "You are an amazing Mom. Rory is 32 years old. She…"

"Needs me," Lorelai finished. She knew that what he was saying was rational; that Rory was a grown up, that she was old enough to know her own mind and make the change. That Rory knew how to manage her mental health. But even so she felt like she should shoulder some of the blame. That she should have forced Rory to do more than she was doing. That she should have done more.

"You've done everything," he told her softly, his uncanny ability to know exactly what she was thinking making her heart soar even though it was being slowly compressed with worry over her oldest. "And we'll do what we can now. OK. We'll get her back to her."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai woke to a thin arm snaking around her waist, a form pressing against her. It took a moment to realise where she was. Lying on Rory's bed in Baltimore. She hadn't remembered falling asleep. She had been talking to Spencer and Luke and it had been early morning, oh so early. And now it wasn't early, at least not 3am talking through the confusion early. It was normal early. There were sounds of cars outside the rest of the world getting on with business of society. She pressed a kiss into Gigi's crown. "You OK Cutie?"

"I guess," Gigi whispered burrowing her face into Lorelai's chest. "Are we going to take Mom to the doctor?"

"Probably," Lorelai answered honestly. She had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do now. Were they supposed to call Rory's therapist? Take her to the family doctor? "We'll figure it out."

"Ok," Gigi mumbled uncertainly. "What about school?"

"I'll call them. You won't get in trouble," Lorelai kissed Gigi again. "Don't you worry about that OK?"

"Kay," Gigi nodded. There was a long pause and then finally Gigi spoke again. "Is Mom sick because of me?"

"No sweetheart," Lorelai cuddled the teen tighter to her. "It's not because of you. She is…"

"Messed up," Gigi interrupted.

"Messed up. Yeah," Lorelai repeated. "There is a lot going on but it won't be because of you."

"Is it Dad?" Gigi whispered barely audible. "Will they…"

"I can't answer that. I hope not. I hope it's just Rory not being herself."

"He doesn't work as much as she says, not really," Gigi whispered, her hands clenched on Lorelai's arms. "He has some days but it's not all the time."

"Yeah?" Lorelai whispered. To be fair to Spencer she did only have Rory's word for his work pattern. Rory always seemed to make out that he was constantly in the office. "Do you know where your Mom's cell is? I want to see if I can find a number for her therapist."

"It's probably in her purse," Gigi held on for a moment longer and then slid from the bed. Lorelai sat up slowly, watching Gigi make her way out the room before turning her attention to Rory. She was still sleeping and she did look peaceful. Tenderly she brushed hair from Rory's face and sighed. How much of the problems had Rory constructed and how much was real? Gigi returned and held out a purse. Lorelai took it and rifled through it, a wallet, hand sanitiser, A chapstick and a piece of crumpled paper. But no cell. She looked at the paper. No, not paper a letter. A letter stating Rory had lost her job. Lorelai frowned and read the letter again. "She got laid off." Lorelai whispered staring at it. Rory hated her job. She was overworked, underpaid and underappreciated. But at a time when she needed it most, even though she hated it, Rory had lost the thing that she could structure her life around. The lifesaving gift of monotony when everything else is swirling. The destruction of her thesis made sense. Rory had taken being laid off from a job she hated as proof that she wasn't good enough. "Oh Babe."

"Why would they fire her?" Gigi stared at her wide eyed.

"She got laid off. They didn't have the money." Lorelai swallowed. She felt heavy. In need of sustenance and liquid. "Come on Sweetheart let's get some breakfast. We should let her sleep and we should search for her cell."

"Ok," Gigi peered past her to Rory, her face creased like she couldn't piece together what was happening. "I can make eggs."

"We'll figure it out together," Lorelai told her. Meaning more than just breakfast.

* * *

 **xXx**

It was just past midday when another car rolled into the driveway. She watched as Spencer burst out, leaving any belongings in the car. Rory was still sleeping. She hoped that Rory would sleep for as long as this conversation would take. Rory couldn't tell them what was going on. Nor could Gigi. Maybe Spencer could. In a way she hoped he couldn't. She hoped that it was just medication. She hoped his only involvement in Rory's unhappiness was his work and her perception of him working too much because if it was anything more she wasn't sure what she would to do him. Probably rip him apart like a zombie horde from one of April's shows. "How is she?" Spencer burst into the house. "Is she awake? Has she eaten anything? Has she said anything? Is Gigi OK?"

He looked so genuinely panicked that any thoughts of him doing wrong melted away.

"Rory is still asleep. She hasn't eaten anything. She's said stuff but nothing that I can piece together. Her therapist said it might be her meds. We are to let her sleep and when she does wake up, as long as she isn't a danger to herself or others, to take her to her therapist. If she is a danger take her to the emergency room." Lorelai told him struggling to keep her voice level.

"I don't understand," Spencer's shoulders sagged.

"Which part?" Lorelai sagged in her chair.

"Any of it," he whispered. "I don't understand. How can meds make her worse? How can the thing that's supposed to help her make her worse? What about the therapy? She's been going to therapy. She was doing the things the therapist said. I know she wasn't happy with work and she hates Baltimore, but she was trying and I was trying…I…I can't…"

"Can't what?" Lorelai whispered, terror flooded like ice through her.

"Help her," Spencer whispered. "I can't help her. I tried. I've tried to be here for her. I had to go to deliver this conference but the next one someone else was going to do because I wanted to be here for her. It's just everything I try is wrong. She just stares at me, or she snaps at me. But she…" he dissolved, his voice pitching upwards "I can't help her. I just want to make her feel better but I just can't and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do," Lorelai wrapped her arms around the young man and held him. His tears came flowing out of him like an exhausted river. "I just want her to be OK. I just don't know what to do. I don't know what to do."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory sat up slowly. She didn't quite understand why she was in bed. The last thing that she remembered was getting into the car after Mark had given her the pink slip. Shame crashed over her. She'd been laid off. She hadn't even been good enough to keep that job. It stabbed at her and then pushing through the shame came the sound of voices. Spencer and her Mom. She frowned. Her Mom. Why was her Mom here? Was this some kind of dream? Slowly she got to her feet. She felt unsteady, her legs not feeling strong enough to hold her. She staggered out the bedroom and clinging to the bannister stumbled down the stairs.

"…without another job. I'll look from now maybe go back to Yale or Block Cell, or anywhere in New York. She was happy in New York. And if I can't my contract is for another eighteen months. So I could join them then."

"You'd be apart from them for eighteen months. How is that…"

"I'd come up any day I could. Every weekend. It's better than nothing. I have to think of the future. I have to be able to support them. If I just up and leave it's too much of a risk. What about insurance? We need to be covered."

"I guess. But…"

Rory stepped forward. Her Mom and her husband turned to look at her. She clearly looked awful because they both gasped slightly and moved towards her. She waved her hand, to what? Wave them off. They reached her at the same time. Both taking one of her elbows and leading her towards the kitchen chair. "I'm…what are you…I don't…"

"It's OK Babe," Lorelai crouched beside her, smiling softly, tenderly rubbing her bicep. "We were just trying to come up with a way to make it better."

"Better?" Rory whispered.

"You hate it here," Spencer told her the words flowing out of him. "I think we should move back to Connecticut or New York. I think you and Gigi should go as soon as you feel like you can. I'll join you later once I've sorted work out."

"But we don't have to talk about that now. We can talk about that later. Yeah?" Lorelai interrupted "Right now we just have to focus on you and what happened."

"What happened?" Rory whispered. Her head ached. It was all too confusing. "I can't remember…I don't know."

"What, was wrong. Why. I meant. Why you are feeling so bad"

Rory looked down at her Mom and nodded. She blinked, her eyes dry and scratchy. "Mom?"

"Yes Babe."

"I…I…I can't I…I don't…I."


	27. Home

**AN - Thank you guys, I know I said it would get happier, folllowing Richard's death it will I promise, just sometimes when you write things they turn out different from your outline/prompts so it got worse before it got better (mood wise and it was way darker :S) It gets better, (at least I think it does). Anyways, onwards, for you Spencer fan I hope you appreciate the last bit ;) Thank you so much for reading I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think.**

 **(PS, there a swear in this one)**

* * *

 **Chapter 27 - Home**

 _Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum_

For a few moments as she came too, she couldn't place the noise that had woken her. Was it her heart beat? She peeled open her eyes and stared at the soft grey walls. Beneath her was a silky pale blue comforter. She blinked. Waking up in her attic bedroom in Stars Hollow still confused her even after five days of being here.

 _Ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum_

Slowly she rolled over and peered into the gloom of her room. A small figure was sitting on the edge of the bed. Grace. The four year old sat staring at the wardrobe. The noise was Grace's heels hitting the wooden sides of the bed as she kicked her legs in rhythmic patience. "Gr…" she tried to speak but her voice caught in thick clagg blocking her throat. Grace turned to look at her. Her face was solemn but there was a hint of a smile. The child drew her legs up onto the bed and bounced across to kneel beside her. She rested her hand on Rory's forehead and then laid down placing her ear to Rory's chest. She listened for a moment. When she bounced up onto her knees she gave Rory a serious smile. Without saying a word she leaned forward and softly kissed Rory's forehead. When she sat back she flexed her hands looking like she wanted Rory to move and then slipped from the bed landing on the floor with a soft thud.

Rory rolled back into the position she had been laying in. Behind her Grace gave a sigh. A sharp smack on her backside made Rory yelp and she rolled back to look at Grace. Grace's lips were in a thin line clearly annoyed. With resignation, the child inhaled heavily, "You missed breakfast. Stop being lazy."

Rory lifted her head to look at her sister. "I'm not."

"Yes you is," Grace insisted. "And you're stinky," she waved her hand in front of her nose. "Go get clean," she pointed forcefully at the bedroom door.

Rory sat slowly. Her youngest sister held her gaze, not blinking once. "Yes Mom."

"I'm not Mommy silly billy," Grace rolled her eyes dramatically. "I choosed your clothes, because those are yuck" she pointed at the black sweats and baggy pink t-shirt Rory had been wearing for the last three days. "You wear that," Grace pointed to the armchair. A pretty floral dress laid out. "You look pretty, you feel pretty," Grace announced. "Go wash. I'm gonna tell Mommy so she can make you food." The child fumbled with the door knob before craning the door open and marched out without another word.

Slowly Rory rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed. Eventually she hauled herself out of bed and padded round to the bathroom where she had a brief shower and then went back to the bedroom. She stared at the dress that Grace had laid out and even though it seemed completely inappropriate for lounging round the house which was all she felt she would do today she put it on. She left her room barefaced, barefoot and with her hair still wet. As she made her way down through the house, noise began to hit her. The TV was on blaring something with a vaguely familiar theme tune and Lorelai was calling something from the kitchen. She paused on the stairs, feeling like she was intruding in the time that Grace and Lorelai had together.

"Shortcake do you want apple or orange?" Lorelai trotted out of the kitchen towards the living room. She stopped when she saw Rory on the stairs. Her smile was warm and almost looked relieved. Grace called with her drink choice and Lorelai turned to go back into the kitchen. She beckoned Rory to follow like it was an entry into a secret place. Rory followed, the journey from upstairs already draining the little energy she had. When she entered the kitchen Lorelai was filling the coffee maker. Her Mom turned with a smile.

"Don't you look pretty. Are you going somewhere?"

Rory smoothed her hands over her hips and shook her head, "Grace picked it and I figured if I didn't wear it I might get trouble. She's very…"

"Emily," Lorelai smirked

"Yeah, definitely got some Grandma in her," Rory nodded.

"Face of an angel, spirit of a district attorney or serial killer," Lorelai scrunched her shoulders "she mentioned she sent you to destink." Lorelai's eyes flicked over her. "Well done on that front."

"Was it bad?"

"Not bad, but noticeable," Lorelai took a step towards a drawer which she opened and drew out a dish towel. "I don't want you catching a chill."

Rory complied, wrapping the towel around her shoulders.

"So Grace is watching My Little Pony if you want to join her. Or there is real life stuff, Spencer called to say he'd emailed you the info from the realtor and there is some extra paperwork for Gigi's new school to fill in. But you don't have to worry about it" Lorelai added quickly. "So do you want a brunch? We've got oatmeal or we've got cheerios or just a poptart. I'm gonna get pizza for lunch."

"Really?" Rory smiled softly. "Would Luke allow that?"

"Thin crust, just cheese. It's the same as a sandwich, at least that is the argument I put forth. We're even on the battle," Lorelai shrugged. She paused for a moment her eyes widening, her front teeth nibbling nervously on her lip. "You need to eat something with your meds."

"Can I just have cheerios?" Rory looked towards the cereal box. "No milk, just…"

"Just neat. Got it," Lorelai grabbed a bowl and poured a portion of the multigrain hoops and slid it across the counter. She turned and fumbled with the cupboard by the stove, taking out a packet and then popping the blister packet to produce a capsule. She turned back to Rory and held it out.

Rory took the pill and stared at it for a moment before looking down at the glass of water that Lorelai slid to her. At least these pills didn't make her psychotic. The last group of meds was still working it's way out of her system and right now all she felt was exhausted, everything was an effort but at least… whatever the fuck it was wasn't happening. No seeing pink elephants either. Not that anything really much made sense to her. The decisions made by Spencer and supposedly with her agreement seemed odd to her but at the same time she was glad to be at home in Stars Hollow. Just being away from Baltimore felt better. But beyond the plan that they would sell their house, Spencer would try and find a job in Connecticut or New York and she and Gigi would live in Stars Hollow the plan was an amorphous blob. Gigi had been enrolled in a school and would start on Monday, to seemingly no fuss, she on the other hand had no plan, no future. She had no idea what she was doing with her life and she was too exhausted to even think about it.

Her musings were broken by her Mom pressing a kiss into her temple, Lorelai's arm looping around her shoulder with a soft rub of her arm. "Bottoms up." Rory finally put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it. Chasing it with a sip of water. "Go watch tv, just chill for a bit. We'll try some other stuff after lunch, OK?" Lorelai rubbed Rory's shoulder again.

"Ok," She nodded. She collected the bowl of cheerios and crossed the hallway, feeling her Mom's eyes on her as she walked around to the couch. She sank into the spare seat and glanced at Grace. The four year old was scrunched up on the couch, her neck bent almost perpendicular as she lay on the base of the couch, her feet by her backside, bent legs spread wide so she could see the tv through them. It looked uncomfortable. Grace regarded her for a moment. With the flexibility only the very young and the yoga obsessed possess Grace twisted her way out of her position and bounced to sit beside Rory. The child leaned back, eyes focused on the tv. The mid 90's version of My Little Pony, squeaking out at them. Sneakily Grace's hand looped round and dipped into the bowl of cheerios to take a few. Rory watched her but said nothing so Grace with a smile reached forward and took a few more.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hey there Luke."

"Hey Babette." Luke nodded in greeting at her. "You want your usual?"

"Nah. I don't want nothing today Sugar. I just wanted to give you the heads up," she smiled nervously and then looked over her shoulder before leaning in conspiratorially. "Now, we're on it, me and my little birds. Now it's not for me to confirm or deny anything to anyone but some folks have been saying that Rory and her husband are getting a divorce and she's having to go into an institution and all other kind of mean things. Now If you want me to. I can set people right but I don't know the full details so I'm just trying to…" she trailed off her blue eyes widening "You OK there Luke?"

"Which people?" Luke whispered his voice laden with anger

"There were some people talking in the store and in Weston's. Not people you know but people who would have…"

"Babette. Which people?" Luke repeated "Was Taylor…"

"No, he was telling them to mind their own business. Kind of. You know mind your own business but here's my opinion." She shrunk back from him.

"Which was?"

"There's obviously some issues but leave her alone until we find the facts. Well that was the crux of it, but you know Taylor." Babette shifted her weight from side to side. "I didn't mean to make you mad."

"No. I…Thanks Babette," Luke mumbled weakly.

"It's all over town that she's back," Gypsy piped in from her position at the counter. "Jokes about her needing an application to the Thirty Something gang."

"Oh for f…." Luke clenches his fists and drilled his knuckles into the counter top. "Doesn't this place have any empathy?"

"Sure," Babette shrugged and then shook her head. "But they'd rather gossip."

"Especially about someone they thought was successful failing" Gypsy added.

"She hasn't failed. She and Spencer are not divorcing. She was laid off because the university lost a funding stream. She hates Baltimore so they are trying to move back here. So she's up here looking for work. He is going to follow when he can find work."

"Once she's better," Babette tipped her head curiously. "Poor Baby's sick right?"

Luke huffed, expelling a bubble of hot air in her direction. "She was put on some medication that didn't agree with her and it isn't a quick fix to sorting that. She will be fine once that is fixed. Now you got your gossip go…"

"I'll make sure the right people know. We'll have this put to rights before the end of the day," Babette assured him.

Luke watched her leave, he could feel his anger rising off him in waves. This stupid town and people putting their noses where it wasn't wanted.

"You know how people get," Gypsy looked at him sadly. "She's really going to be OK?"

"She's working on it."

"Ok well good." Gypsy looked down at her half eaten food. "Well you tell her if she needs to talk to someone who is not related to her. I don't mind. I know I'm not Lane but I'm here. You know."

Luke regarded the woman for a long moment and then nodded curtly. "Thanks Gypsy."

"No problem," Gypsy shrugged returning to her sandwich "Life is tough. We girls got to stick together."

* * *

 **xXx**

April pushed her way into the Gilmore Mansion and breathed a sigh of relief, the familiar crackling of fires and the accompanying warmth enveloped her like a warm hug. Better than a warm hug, if she was really honest. Berta appeared round the corner at the sound of the door saw it was her and waved happily at her.

"You change. I wash." Berta gestured at Aprils uniform. The coffee store where she had chosen to work was supposedly environmentally minded but most of it was veneer to encourage ethically minded patrons to spend money with them and not at the many other countless coffee shops that covered Hartford. It wasn't even an independent like April had first thought. Actually a chain of stores owned by someone with enough savvy on store placement to keep up appearances and therefore prices. The uniform April wore was polyester, it itched worse than the scratchiest of wool sweaters. At least sweaters breathed.

She stumbled up the two flights of stairs to her bedroom opposite the den and quickly changed into some more comfortable clothes, a pair of corduroys and the baggiest of sweaters. When she exited her bedroom her uniform in hand she paused at the sound of the tv on in the den. Sometimes Berta's kids would spend the day and she wondered if it was them. She poked her nose in and paused. Emily looked up at her alarmed. "Hi Grandma."

"April," Emily looked down at her watched and gasped, looking down at her watch. "My goodness! I've lost the entire day."

"What are you doing?" April stepped into the den and peered at the TV. On the screen it looked like home movies. A very young Richard and Emily larking around in bathing suits on a jetty; both of them darting back and forth so the other could be the focus. The particular set of footage came to an end and a black credit line with what appeared to be a time stamp of the original film filled the screen, 19th December 1967. A Christmas Tree filled the screen before the camera retreated and Emily came into view holding a mountain of tinsel. Emily paused the DVD and looked shyly down at a box which contained what looked like 10 similar DVD's.

"We used to have a cinecam," Emily explained softly. "We filmed everything up until 1973. I had them transferred onto DVD to preserve them a few years ago."

"That's so cool," April walked over to her and perched on the couch beside her. "You have an archive of your early marriage."

"An archive," Emily whispered. "Yes. Though I prefer to think of them of memories."

"I didn't mea…" April began but Emily waved her hand to show she didn't mean anything by her comment. "Can I watch them with you? I'd really like to see Lorelai when she was a little girl"

"Our little star. Whenever we had it out, she had to be filmed," Emily rolled her eyes. "But then we realised that we were missing what she was doing by being behind the lens. A lot like you young people now." She poked April's side teasingly. "Watching through your cameras rather than being in the moment." She tipped her head to one side her dark eyes travelling up and down April's face, not giving anything away until they travelled down to the clothes in April's arms and she let out a sigh. "You should enjoy your life."

"What?" April frowned.

"You're sat here minding an old woman and her memories. I stole your adventure year."

"No you didn't. I…" April looked down at her clothes and then back up at her Grandma. "I like being here. I like the time we spend together. Why does an adventure have to be big and loud? I wanted to spend my year making a difference. Doing something that I care about. I care about making sure you are OK and I feel like I have made a difference." She raised her eyebrows daring her Grandma to challenge her.

"But it can't go on forever," Emily rested her hand on April's forearm. "I don't want you to press pause on your life forever. I don't want you hating your life like poor Rory."

"I'm not Rory," April pointed out. "I'm here because I want to be, because I like to be. If you want me to go…"

"Not at all," Emily squeezed her forearm tightly. "I just don't want you to miss out. I don't want you resenting me. Lorelai always resented me for things I made her do. I don't want that."

"I'm not Lorelai." April smiled softly. "And you're not making me do anything"

"Good, as long as we understand each other" Emily patted her arm. "Now get the disc marked 5. That is when Lorelai was learning to walk. Those are my favourite."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai double checked the children were still stood on the porch as the truck drove past laden with hoardings that were put up to shield the view from the inn patrons of the construction work. She had paid extra to have the chipboards printed up with the architects drawings of what the spa would look like when it was complete. She was hopeful that there would be at least a shell of a building in twelve weeks. Just in time for the summer crowd. She wanted the spa to open in September but she wanted the construction done as quickly as possible so to not inconvenience the workings of the inn. She had also splashed out extra for some viewing ports so people could see what was going on. As soon as the vans engine died she took a step towards the stairs and the four children darted towards her racing past her like she was a rock in a river. Lorelai paused for a moment and held out her hand for Gigi. Construction held little excitement to the thirteen year old. Gigi was struggling with the shift. She had started a new school in Hartford this past Monday which she had said was 'fine, but you know whatever'. Starting at a K-8 school midway through the 7th grade was never going to be easy. Especially when not only dealing with a new school but having your family split up by distance and the uncertainty of Rory's health. She was a stoic kid but need for cuddles had been creeping in more and more over the time that she and Rory had been in Stars Hollow. The children were very obliging but today especially Gigi was seeking out her. Spencer had been supposed to fly up for the weekend, but arrangements with Realtors and shipping belongings had got in the way and he had been forced to delay for a flying visit which by the time he got in would mean he was only really around for Sunday. Part of Gigi's cuddliness was related to how unbothered Rory was by this. To be fair nothing seemed to bother Rory or more to the point even sink in. They were busy playing find the right meds. The first ones that made her psychotic were out of her system but the replacement ones had left her barely able to function so the doctor had switched her to a third set. They seemed to be working, sparks of the normal Rory had begun to appear though Rory was still sleeping a lot.

Lorelai rubbed Gigi's shoulder "I understand the lack of excitement I want them to start but when I asked if I could help I was told there is no pink hard hat, just yellow and yellow does not go with this outfit. Tom wouldn't let me accessorize it either."

"How Rude." Gigi shrugged amiably "I say just steal one and accessorize it."

"Good plan. I should get the gluegun out and sequin the hell out of one," Lorelai smirked. "I should make Tom wear it."

The man in question looked at her his eyebrows raised. With a soft shake of his head he looked down at his plan for the board layout and then mumbled something.

Lorelai smirked at Gigi. "I reckon we've got him on the ropes."

"Not likely," Tom looked up at her from the plan. "The only fancying up that is going on here. Is in there" he jabbed his thumb backwards towards the truck. "We're ready for Monday start."

"Breaking ground on Monday," Lorelai scrunched her shoulders in delight.

"Not today" Sam asked, looking back disappointedly from the three guys unloading the boards. "Mr Tom, if you find dinosaur bones will you tell Mommy? I really want to see a proper dinosaur bones."

"I'm hoping we don't find any bones, but sure," Tom shrugged.

"Why Amaryllis Mommy" Willow asked watching the men pull a board from the truck which read The Amaryllis at the Dragonfly.

"Well. Amaryllis means sparkling or to sparkle. Seeing that this is a spa. I want people to feel sparkling," Lorelai tipped her head and studied the newly crafted logo. Same font as The Dragonfly with a stylised logo of an amaryllis flower above the name. "Plus Amaryllis's look really pretty so we can have them in the reception."

"Makes sense I guess," Kitty mumbled, "Mommy Can we go have burgers for lunch at Daddy's?"

"We can argue for them," Lorelai realised that the kids were bored now that there was no chance of any interesting work taking place, "but maybe have chicken in mind."

"Ugh," Kitty rolled her eyes. "Always with the healthy stuff. I like burgers."

"Me too Bubba," Lorelai grinned. "OK, Lets go see if we can argue some burgers," she turned and mock bowed at Tom. "Thank you Tom. And I promise no sequins."

"Good," Tom gave her a crooked smile. "If I see one sequin, I bail."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai opened the door and smiled warmly at the exhausted looking Spencer. "Hi" she called brightly opening her arms to invite him into a hug. He stepped in and buried his head into her shoulder, hugging her as if he was a small boy, not a grown man in his mid-thirties. Lorelai let him hang on softly rubbing his back. Eventually Spencer released his hold and peered around the house. "Everyones in bed. Luke's at the diner."

"Even Rory?" Spencer looked crestfallen.

"The new meds make her sleepy," Lorelai closed the door.

Spencer shook his head. "I had something in the airport."

"You grabbed a sandwich," Lorelai peered at the young man knowingly. "Do you want a beer?"

"Beer would be good," Spencer slumped into a chair.

Lorelai quietly busied herself in the kitchen, collecting a beer, opening it and then returning with it and her half-drunk coffee. She set the beer down in front of Spencer and sat beside him. "She's doing better. She's still sleeping a lot though, still distracted but all in all better. "

"Really?" Spencer looked relieved. He took a swig of the beer, and held the suds in his mouth. When he appeared to run out of breath he swallowed and then while apparently focusing on the beer bottle cast a sideways look at her. "Has she said anything about me?" Lorelai tipped her head quizzically, she knew what he was asking but she wanted the context as to why it had come up. Rory had not really said anything about her marriage and Lorelai wasn't sure if that was good or bad. "Gigi's worried we're separating," he whispered. He looked physically pained in saying the words. "I don't want that."

"I know," Lorelai sighed. "She hasn't said much at all. Only when prompted, like if you've called. There is a lot going on up there and I don't think it makes sense to her. Rory doesn't like to share her problems. It's her perfectionism. She won't ask a question unless she's sure of the answer. Most of the time I only used to get her to talk because I found out and she hates lying as much as she hates being wrong."

The pair of them turned at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Slowly Rory appeared in view wrapped in a large blue fluffy dressing gown. She smiled softly at Spencer but didn't move to kiss him, instead moving over to get some coffee. "Hey Sleeping Beauty" Lorelai called trying to draw her into the conversation.

"Hey," Rory mumbled. She added a tonne of cream to her coffee before coming over to the table choosing to sit beside Lorelai. "Was your flight OK?"

"It was fine. How are you feeling?" Spencer gripped his beer, seemingly using it as a lifeline to stop him reaching out for her.

Rory sighed heavily. "I'm starting to get my head back," she took a sip of her coffee. "I think."

"That's great," Spencer breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders sinking so low it looked as if he was about to collapse beneath the table.

"I guess." Rory glanced at Lorelai and then down at her coffee. "Before we do all this…"

"This?" Spencer sat up alarmed.

"This," Rory gestured vaguely. She finally made eye contact with Spencer. "I need you to tell me why?"

"Why? Why what?" Spencer looked at Lorelai for help.

Lorelai none the wiser of what Rory was asking, turned to look at Rory. Tenderly she tucked Rory's hair behind her ear. Rory shivered away from her.

"Why you love me when I can't give you what you want and I'm making you give up your dream," Rory sounded staring at her milky coffee. "I'm ruining everything for you. Why do you want me?"

"Wh…" Spencer's eyes bulged and his mouth dropped open. "I… what dream? What do I want? I don't understand. I want you because I want you. I need you. You're my wife. I…I…All I can say is I love you. I don't know what else to say."

"Even though I'm making your leave your dream job. Even though I won't give you children" Rory looked up for the briefest of moments before looking back at her coffee.

Lorelai made to move. This was not a conversation she should be part of. Whether this was a break up or a reconciliation she should not be witness. "I'm gonna…"

"No Mom. It's OK," Rory took her hand.

"Yes, Lorelai stay," Spencer stood up and then immediately sat down. He shuffled in his seat and then stood again moving to pace in front of the window. "Rory. I knew you never wanted children and I'm sorry if sometimes I say things that make you think I'm pressurising you. If you wanted children I would have them with you in a heartbeat but you don't so it's moot. But I knew that when I got engaged to you. As for John Hopkins. Yes it was my dream to work there. But my real dream is to cure cancer so no one has to lose their Mom like I did. But my other dream was more important. You." He sniffed clearly losing his composure.

"I'm ruining everything. I don't want you to resent me," Rory whispered. Her hand squeezed Lorelai's tightly.

Lorelai stared at Spencer, he was struggling not to cry but there was something that he was fighting over whether to say or not. Rory was trembling, waiting for whatever he was going to say. Her own heart felt frozen. Rory was pushing Spencer away and this was the moment she was certain that her daughter was going to push him to the point of no return. Suddenly Spencer looked around, the water had retreated replaced with fire.

"I love you and I'm not going to give up on you even if you have. I'd move to the other side of the planet, I'd move to Mars if that made you happy. My home is wherever you are. Please stop trying to push me away. I am not going to leave you. You aren't ruining anything." Now he did dissolve into tears. He sobbed twice before garbling. "You are not Christopher Rory. You're nothing like him. Please just stop torturing yourself. Please…just…please."

"Christo…" Lorelai stared down at Rory in confusion. But even though Rory was holding her hand Lorelai realised that for her daughter she was no longer in the room. Whatever Spencer was eluding to it was exactly what Rory needed to hear because Rory pulled her hand from Lorelai's, threw back her chair and threw herself at Spencer. Her arms wrapped around his neck; the pair of them sinking to their knees in tears.

Lorelai took a step back and then scurried out the room. Her heart was racing and she pressed her hand against her chest to try and still it. Lights illuminated the driveway and she opened the door the heat spilling out into the cold night. Luke looked at her in alarm, his eyebrows raised. Slowly he swaggered round the truck. He raised his palm seeing her bare feet indicating for her not to come any further.

"Lorelai?" he asked as he reached the base of the porch steps. He gasped as she threw himself at him. Almost a carbon copy of what her daughter had just done with her own husband. Luke stumbled backwards buffeted by her forward momentum. "Lorelai?"

"She's going to be OK." she whispered into his ear. "They…Rory and Spencer…It's going to be OK."


	28. Just Breathe

**AN - Thanks guys so glad you liked its all starting on the up :) I love Gypsy, it shows what a great character she was or perhaps it was Rose being awesome, because she's only actually in 23 episodes of 153 from the original run but to me she's one of the main town people! like Miss Patty etc. On we go. An explanation about the Christopher and a little Lane :) Hope you enjoy, thank you for reading. Let me know what you think.**

* * *

 **Chapter 28 – Just Breathe**

Lorelai peered at her rear-view mirror as Gigi let out a deep chuckle. Gigi hadn't laughed properly at all since she had been with them. At best the kids' elicited an amused snort from her, but an actual chuckle was something not heard. Spencer, sat in the middle row of the minivan with Gigi, joined in, the pair of them behaving like they were both thirteen year old kids.

"That better not be at my expense," Lorelai called over the seat. "I can…"

"No," Gigi sat forward slightly breathless. "Dad just told this joke and its sooooooo Dad jokey. Like it's so bad. Listen. Listen." The teen took a deep breath. "Want to hear a joke about a piece of paper? Never mind... it's tearable."

Lorelai frowned. "I don't get it."

"It's tear-able," Gigi repeated.

"Oh!" Lorelai shook her head. "Oh that's just…Oh Spencer."

"See so so bad," Gigi sat back. "Dad's just pedal to the medal into middle age."

"Metal," Spencer corrected, "And thanks."

"Why is it metal? Wouldn't you want to get a medal by being fast?" Gigi looked confused.

"Like driving. The accelerator is pressed all the way down to the metal of the car," Spencer explained.

"Oh. I've been saying it wrong," Gigi snorted in amusement.

Lorelai grinned and resumed acting purely as chauffer. The pair continued talking about everything and nothing until they pulled up into the queue for drop off at Gigi's new school. The sullen mask that had been present on Gigi's face fell into place and she stared glumly up at the building.

"You're going to be brilliant," Spencer told her quietly as the drop off line crawled along.

"I guess," Gigi shrugged. "I just… A week is a long time."

"You can call me whenever you want."

Lorelai kept her gaze straight ahead focusing on the young man in the bright orange vest stopping and starting the traffic. When it was finally their turn both Spencer and Gigi hopped out of the back. Lorelai paid attention this time, peering through the rear-view mirror, watching the massive bear hug that they gave each other and then the tender forehead kiss that Spencer placed on Gigi before the teen moved to enter the building. Lorelai smiled knowingly at Spencer as he climbed into the front passenger seat.

He reached over to clip his belt in and his eyes widened nervously. "What?"

"Nothing," Lorelai shook her head and pulled out of the drop off lane.

"No. What?" Spencer sat back nervously.

"I don't need to tell you what. You know what," Lorelai gave him the quickest of pointed looks before turning her attention to the junction. They sat in silence until she had pulled out into the flow of traffic and Lorelai had positioned the car into the correct lane for heading to the airport. "I do need to ask you something though," She flicked her eyes towards him.

Spencer was silent for a moment, apparently waiting for her and then sighed softly. "The Christopher thing?"

"Yeah," Lorelai checked her mirrors. "I've been dying to ask what you meant, but our house is three ringed circus or you were with Rory and you and her spending time together is more important than me knowing things. That I don't say often."

Spencer exhaled heavily, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his sweater as he considered his words. "I don't really understand it, but she's worried she's like him because she's wasting what's been handed to her like he did, and she's scared she'll flake out like he did."

"With Gigi?"

"Not Gigi but with kids of her own. That and pregnancy terrifies her," Spencer clasped his hands together.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have let her watch Alien when she was twelve."

"Yeah," Spencer smirked. "Do you know what all that means? About wasting what's been handed to her."

Lorelai exhaled and then clicked her tongue a few times, imitating the sound of the indicator. "Christopher was a waster, he went to all these fancy schools but he never applied himself. Always wanted to be the clown or the party boy. The eighties equivalent of making it rain. You know? At fifteen, he was the bees' knees. Rich, good looking but with a hint of dork so you didn't feel too put off by him. If you wanted something he would buy it got you, take you to see it. Host the after party, it doesn't matter what the damage was. Daddy would get it fixed. But that was the problem his Mom and Dad always bailed him out. Then Rory happened and he offered to marry me and take the corner office with the stick. I didn't want it. It probably would have been good for him. Not for me. I just saw that as a prison. So he wandered aimless in the desert for twenty years until his Grandfather died and as his Dad was dead, he got the family fortune. He only has money because he was given it. He's never been successful at anything. Successful at positive things at least. Flaking out on his children. He's two for two on that."

"Not something you want to be successful at you would think" Spencer mumbled. "So she's scared she's like him because your parents paid for her education and gave us the house?"

"I guess so," Lorelai shrugged. "I mean, obviously my parents paying for her education has nothing to do with her graduating with whatever honours she has or her phd. I didn't drop her on her head when she was a baby. She's a smart cookie. Rory has always been about what she is supposed to do. It's the people pleaser perfectionist in her. She gets that from my mother. Me I'm a Hedonist."

"A Hedonist?"

"Pleasure now," Lorelai quirked her eyebrows. "Except when I need to be a grafter. Rory has that too but in a different way. She went from a D when she started at Chilton to being one of the top in her class. She works hard but I don't think she sees academic working hard the same as what I had to do when she was little. That combined with all the stuff you see in the news about how Millennials are not supposed to hav and she has the whole alphabet."

Spencer nodded in understanding. "So she sees she's not how she's supposed to be and then it all snowballs"

"and then it avalanches," Lorelai pulled towards up at the next junction. They sat in silence as they waited for the lights to change.

"Thank you. It makes sense now," Spencer smiled uneasily. "Not sure how we…"

"We love her, we act as sounding boards, we bolster, we cheer. We make sure she takes the meds that help her and one day, hopefully soon, our girl comes back to us." She leaned towards him. "I don't like sharing. I was spoilt as a child. But when it comes to Rory I don't mind sharing with you," she patted his forearm. "We're going to get our girl back."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Willow."

At the sound of her little sister's exasperated voice Willow looked up from her book. "Gracie." She nodded at her sister from her position laying on her bed propped up on a mountain of pillows.

"I need cissers," Grace held out a pair of children's scissors and a mangled piece of paper. "These don't cut."

"I don't have any," Willow told her ruefully staring at her white desk cluttered with art supplies "Daddy doesn't let us because he thinks Kitty will try cutting her hair again."

Kitty clattered to the floor out of a handstand. "I did that once." She muttered indignantly. "What do you need scissors for?"

"Make my pretend glasses look like Mommy's new ones," Grace tapped the paper, which held an attempt at drawing a pair of black rimmed square glasses.

Kitty peered at the drawing of the paper and then up at Grace. "Mommy has new glasses?"

"She choosed new ones but they not here yet. She had to see the optizan," Grace informed her primly. "That why she," she scrunched up her face, improvising a squinting expression, "when she watches tv. She getting new glasses and new lenses for her eyeballs."

"Lenses for her eyeballs," Willow grimaced.

"Yup, sticks them in," Grace unflinchingly touched the surface of her own eye making Willow cringe.

"That's the case, the little white one," Kitty pointed out. "Her contacts."

"Oh," Willow sounded. "Oh!" she sounded again, this time filled with understanding. "Ew! I never realised what was contacting what. EW!"

"Yep," Grace nodded solemnly. "Will you make me new fake ones so I can be like Mommy?"

"I need to see what they look like," Willow informed her. "And you can either have the new glasses or borrow my book."

Grace scowled and folded her arms. One moment later her foot stomped angrily. "Not fair."

"Is fair. You get to spend time with Mommy on your own. I never get to do that," Willow lifted her book back up. She continued to read down the page quickly delving into the old fashioned wonderland of Avonlea.

"That is kind of harsh Wills," Kitty voiced softly. "Grace I'd do it but Daddy with his dumb rule on scissors."

"I am NOT being harsh," Willow placed her bookmark into the book and snapped it shut. "Gracie always gets everything because she's the baby. We never get time with Mommy on our own. You sometimes get time with Daddy on your own but you don't even get that now because of Sam being sad about Grandpa. We're all sad about Grandpa. Why is he so special? And now Rory is here. Well," she raised her arms in annoyance, "woe betide us middle children getting any kind of attention and if we do we have to share it because we are twins and can't have anything of our own."

Kitty stared at her curiously. "I ain't disagreeing but what's woe betide?"

"I don't know," Willow admitted softly. "It's in my books. It sounded good."

"It did sound good," Kitty agreed she tipped her head to one side. "Are you mad because Miss Jamison told you to be quiet?"

"No," Willow shook her head angrily. "Maybe. She didn't have to call me a know-it-all."

"You do know it all," Kitty pointed out. "Wait she was being mean to you? Why didn't I get that?"

"You were too busy making goo goo eyes at Hunter," Willow smirked gently teasing Kitty.

Kitty scowled. "Ok that really is harsh because I do not make goo goo eyes or any type of eyes at anyone except for like, you know, looking."

"I know that. And it's wasn't really Miss it was Jack and Braydon, they kept calling me names, which aren't bad names but were still not nice. They were very Billy Anderson."

"Who?" Kitty wrinkled her face up. "Is this a book character?"

Grace clapped her hands sharply to get their attention. "We need Mommy."

"She's with Rory."

"No she's not, she's doing laundry" Grace grabbed at Willow's hands. Willow allowed her sister to drag her from the bed and together the three children stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen where Mommy sat behind a large pile of clothes. "Mommy," Grace announced marching over, "Willow is being mean to me because you don't spend enough time with her."

"What?" Lorelai blinked rapidly, looking at Grace and then Willow her face creased in confusion. "I don't understand Shortcake."

Grace huffed. "I need Willow's help. She says I can either use her books or she help me. She says it because it's not fair because I spend time with you and you don't spend time with her."

"Honeybunch?" Lorelai looked towards Willow in confusion. "It's not Grace's fault she's not old enough for school."

"You still spend time with her and not us." Willow scowled. She felt angry and upset today and she was sick of being the good girl. She always had to be the good girl. "It's not fair. Everyone's always more important than us," she sniffed ominously. "It's not fair."

"Oh Honeybunch," Lorelai patted her knee inviting her over.

Willow scrambled over, depositing herself heavily on Lorelai's knee and curling into her. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, she finally dissolved into tears and curled her face into Mommy's neck.

Lorelai cuddled her tightly and pressed a kiss to the top of Willow's hair. She rocked her from side to side. "I'm sorry babies. I know there is a lot going on right now. I'm so sorry you feel bad. But you know you are all important as each other right?" she coaxed Willow's face from her neck "You know that right?"

"I know," Willow sighed heavily. She did know really, just as she knew that Rory was only here because she was sick. "I'm sorry Gracie. You can borrow my books and I'll help you with your pretend glasses."

"Grace's borrowing your books?" Lorelai bounced her knee.

"I readed all mine," Grace told her with a happy smile. With that the four year old pivoted and bounced out of the kitchen on her toes.

Lorelai pressed a kiss into Willow's temple. "I'm sorry you guys have to be so grown up right now. I know there is a lot going on and I'm sorry I'm being a bad Mommy."

"You're not," Kitty shrugged. "You're just being a busy blur"

"I know," Lorelai smiled weakly. "I'd offer to do something fun but I've got to finish the laundry because otherwise you guys are wearing garbage bags. You can stay and we can talk."

"Kay," Willow whispered. She reluctantly slid down from Lorelai's lap and moved to her chair.

"Nah, staying means folding and I don't like folding. What's the point just going to get crumpled anyhow," Kitty shrugged blithely. "Willow can have this time, means I get the bedroom to myself," she gave a cheeky grin and scampered out the room.

"So just us," Lorelai smiled at Willow taking the next item of clothing to fold. "What do you want to talk about?"

Willow shrugged and reached to take a t-shirt from the pile. "I don't know Mommy. I just want to spend time with you. Even if it's chores."

* * *

 **xXx**

It was just before 11pm before he was able to get home. Late night diners taking forever to eat were the bane of his existence sometimes. He was surprised to see Lorelai still up, sat looking forlornly at a piece of paper while she nursed a glass of red wine, the mostly empty bottle on the table beside her.

"Hey," he asked cautiously. Her shoulders were rounded and she just looked dimmed. "You OK?"

"Willow had a meltdown," Lorelai murmured. "Well a mini one. There were tears. Adding clout to my application for bad Mom award."

"What happened?" Luke sat down beside her, his hand instinctively falling onto her thigh.

"The twins and Grace came down and Willow cried. They think they aren't important because we don't spend time with them," Lorelai closed her eyes, her head shaking back and forth making her loose hair flutter around her face. "I don't know what to do. They aren't wrong but…"

"Gigi should have just gone to the middle school here until everything got sorted out." Luke sighed slumping back in the chair. He understood how the kids felt, the last month of their lives had been a chaotic mess. Gone were nice walks to school where they and the kids chatted about everything and nothing. Gone were the little quiet moments of family time, it was back to rushing all over the place, being shoved into the car so that they could get Gigi to school or pick Gigi up from school. Lorelai was at peak stress again. Having to deal with everything plus the added burden of trying to rationalise that this spectre of a woman in their house was her Rory. He dropped his head. He felt bad just thinking about Rory like that but in all this somehow everything had fallen on to him and Lorelai to sort out. He got they were the parents, that it was a parent's job to look out for their kids, but Rory and Spencer had made decisions and he and Lorelai were the ones having to deal with them. "I know she's sick but she ain't going to get better sleeping all the time." He let his exasperation show. May as well burn the barn while he was stood holding the flaming torch.

Lorelai looked at him in surprise. "It's the meds."

"I know it's the meds, but she can get up and take her kid to school. She's not going to get better sitting and dwelling all the time." He held his hands out, palms towards her. "I know I don't understand how she feels or any of it really, but surely she won't get better if she just sits up there all the time. And it helps no one if you burn out as well. If Willow is crying we've reached a point we have to start employing some tough love."

"Tough love," Lorelai looked at him, her face was impassive but he could tell, whatever he was about to say he would have to say it carefully.

"Next week she comes with you when you drop everyone off. The week after she does Gigi's school run herself. That's all she has to do. Take Gigi to school, pick her up and do her therapy sessions. I'm not asking her to go out get a job or move out or anything like that. Just take Gigi to school, so we can get our kids back into their routine." Lorelai let out a high pitched groan and her head dropped forward telling him, that she knew what he had said was right but that she didn't like that he was right. He returned his hand to her thigh and when she didn't shrug him off he carried on "We give her baby steps OK. Maybe get Emily involved." Lorelai looked up at him warily. "Two birds, one stone type of thing. Get Emily to take her out for manicures and all the other fruity stuff that girls like. Get's Emily out, Gets Rory out."

"Is this wisdom coming from all that tea you drink?" Lorelai asked him her eyes narrowed but a smile playing on her lips.

"That or I don't obliterate my braincells with caffeine." He smiled at her. "You want me to play bad cop?"

"Do you think tag teaming is a bit much?" Lorelai glanced towards the ceiling.

"You were right when you said she was going to be OK Lorelai. It's just going to take a little nudging." Luke rubbed her thigh tenderly. "Now Come on lets go to bed."

"Three ring circus is only hours away," Lorelai turned to face him. She smiled at him "I'm going to get you a top hat?"

"You're the ring master here," Luke smirked. "Red's your colour." Her eyebrows rose, a look of excited delight. He shook his heads. "You don't need any more coats."

Lorelai shook her head in amusement. "I like coats."

"You like clothes."

"Yeah," She tipped her head, studying him with a bemused expression. "You're good at this."

"Good at what?"

"Cheering me up," She leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I've given you far too much practice. You're my RSJ."

"I'm your steal I beam?" Luke looked at her in confusion.

"Construction has too many acronyms. I meant the crane machine. The big yellow ones. I've graduated from forklift to gigantic construction machinery for my emotional baggage." She look momentarily confused. "JCB. You're my JCB."

He shook his head in tired amusement and then leaned forward returning her kiss. "Come on, bed."

* * *

 **xXx**

At the faint knock on the door Rory lifted her head from the pillow. "Yeah?" Her eyebrows rose when Lane poked her head around her door. "Lane?" she sat up in surprise. Usually the visits in the middle of the day was Grace coming to order her about or Lorelai coming to try to chat with her.

"Hey. Fancy a visit?" Lane's seemingly disembodied head hovered beside the doorway.

Rory glanced down at herself, sweats and a rumpled t-shirt. She wasn't sure when she'd washed her hair. "Sure."

Lane gave her a beaming smile and slipped into the bedroom. Rory forced herself to smile, Lane looked amazing, dressed in all black with chunky silver jewellery. The epitome of cool and class. The comparison between them couldn't be starker.

"We dropped off Joe with Mama." Lane explained, hovering and casting a look around the room for somewhere to sit. "I've got a launch and Zack's in session tomorrow and then we are actually going to have a free night together." She folded her arms looking uneasy. "How are you?"

"I'm…" Rory hesitated and then smiled self-deprecatingly. "Getting there. I actually managed to read a chapter. It took me about 2 hours, but I did it."

"Like a normal length chapter or one of those books you read where the chapter is like half the book?" Lane asked, finally she sat on the corner of the bed, crossing her leg and revealing a shoe that boggled the mind. Black with a giant red bow, it was covered with flowers and then sparkly red fabric at the heel of the shoe, the heel itself was a metal ball. Lane looked down and smirked. "Mama is praying for my soul over these and indeed all my shoes."

"They're amazing."

"Irregular Choice. I discovered them while browsing and now Zack wants to ban me from the internet. So was it?" Lane looked at her patiently.

"Was what?"

"The book chapter. Normal or half a book?" Lane reached for the book that was on the bed and opened it at the bookmark. She scoffed. "Chapter 2 starts on page 65? No wonder it took you 2 hours." Her eyes scanned the page and she scoffed again. "I can't understand this and I'm supposedly sane." Her amused expression dropped. "Sorry, that was..."

"No. it's OK," Rory sat forward and drew her knees towards her chest. She studied her childhood friend, taking in the polish and sparkle, the very essence of accomplishment that oozed out of her. Lane looked happy in her own skin. It made her wonder what that felt like. "You have a launch?"

"Yeah new band, bit of a curve ball for our label, but they are gorgeous to listen to. We're throwing a free party with a performance, get some buzz. Their music is a little folksy for me, but they're the real deal. The lead singer's voice is like honey. He's not great to look at, but his voice, amazing." Lane looked at her cautiously. "Would you feel up to coming? I can put you on the list."

"I…" Rory swallowed and hugged her knees tighter "No, it's um…maybe next time."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Lane's smile took a fixed quality. "Are you feeling any better at all?"

"I am," Rory nodded slowly, her shoulders sagged. "Just exhausted. Tiredness you would not believe and I can't seem to think straight and I lose time. I'll be sat here thinking I should get up breakfast and then Grace is banging on my door for lunch."

"I was like that right after Joe, not anything like…" Lane trailed off and started again. "I found music helped, that and my drill sergeant mother. I won't sic Mrs Kim on you, but this might help," she reached into a pocket. Her clenched fist drew out. Holding her hand out, she uncurled her fingers like a bud opening to reveal a black usb flash drive. "I made you two playlists. One for when you need the gloomy, one for when you need the pep. Measure your time in song."

Rory slowly reached out and took the flash drive; she turned it over in her hand. "You made me playlists?"

"Yes, and I would appreciate you not telling my boss about it. He gets very angry over people doing this. Being in the biz myself I understand but sometimes, you just have to go with your gut you know." She raised her fists so they were level with her chest "Music is a gift for the soul it must be shared," she sounded breathily. Lane snorted in amusement at her own utterance. "Now. Ditch this," she nodded down at the book. "Go easy on yourself, get something light and easy. An Airplane book. Surely, in that big old library downstairs there are some easy reads, some cheesy romance shtick or children's classics, or something. Don't run before you can walk."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai bounced up the attic staircase and turned for Gigi's room. With so many people in the house she was having to be super on top of the laundry, especially with the bedding. Gigi's cramped quarters looked like a junk store. Too many cartons of stuff from a bedroom that was probably three times the size of the room she had now. A room which was really only a place to lay her head for the odd weekend or holiday. Lorelai quickly changed the bedding and checked the hamper in the corner for any clothes to add to the mountain downstairs. As she exited Gigi's bedroom she paused. There was music playing in Rory's room. A female singer and a song that she vaguely recognised. She listened for a few moments through the door. Rory was moving around, a good sign considering it was mid morning. She knocked on the door. It opened after a few moments Rory standing wet haired but fully clothed and a pen in her hand. The laptop playing the music was open on the desk and in the briefest of moments she looked at it Lorelai could see that Rory was looking at her emails.

"Hey Babe. I'm collecting laundry."

Rory judged the pile. "It looks like lights, all mine are dark."

"Give it over I'll chuck it in the dark pile," Lorelai waited while Rory moved over to her hamper. "We have more items of clothing then a sweat shop in Bombay."

"Mom," Rory shook her head, coming over with a small pile of clothes. "Bombay has been Mumbai for like 20 years."

"It's the same place?"

"It's the same place." Rory carefully placed her clothes on top of the laundry basket in Lorelai's arms.

"What do I know about World Geography? I've only ever done Europe" Lorelai balanced the basket on her hip. "You look industrious."

"I'm trying to answer some emails. There is stuff about the house. And stuff from Paris," Rory grimaced faintly. "Lane said measure my life with a song. So I do an email, play a song. Rinse repeat. I've set an alarm for lunchtime so Grace doesn't have to frogmarch me down."

Lorelai grinned. "Grace enjoys the frogmarching. Any plans for this afternoon?"

"Try and stay awake but I thought maybe I could come with you to get Gigi," Rory looked hopeful.

Lorelai inhaled, she and Luke had yet to attempt the tag teaming with Rory. She nodded, for once unable to come up with something to say.

Rory gave her a soft smile and returned to her desk tapping on a few keys on the laptop before looking up. Her face creased with concern. "Mom?"

"Nothing Babe," Lorelai held onto the door, using it to prevent herself from rushing in and making a scene. "We've got leftovers for lunch."

"I'll be there""

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke held the door open for Sam before following his little boy into the hallway of the house. His little helper at the diner had worked wonders today, filling up all the ketchup bottles with no mess and then tidying up tables without being prompted. His little shadow was becoming just that. It was nice to spend quiet time with his boy, even if it was at work. He shrugged off his jacket and then looked at Sam. Sam was looking into the kitchen rather than paying attention to removing his coat. His little fingers fumbling to open the zip. Luke leaned over and undid the zip using it as an excuse to case what was happening in the kitchen. Sat at one end of the table in addition to the girls, Lorelai, Rory and Gigi was April and Emily. April either convincing Emily out or Emily wanting to be supportive to Rory.

"Hi Grandma. Hi April," Sam waved excitedly before having to bend down to remove his wet shoes. Lorelai made a noise of disappointment. Luke smirked as Sam straightened up and gave her a worried look. "Hi Mommy. I was going to say Hi when I hugged you hello."

"I'll forgive you," Lorelai trotted over to him. She kissed the top of his head and then smiled up at Luke. "Mom and April are staying for dinner."

"I hope that is alright," Emily called peering at Luke as he shrugged out of his coat.

"Sure," Luke gave a noncommittal shrug. "Just means no leftovers. Not that Lorelai will mind because she'll just order pizza for lunch." He walked into the kitchen so he could greet Emily and April properly. Emily clutching a mug of tea was sat in what was usually his seat while the kids, April and Rory were jammed in around the table which was covered in paper. He crossed to Emily and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Hi Emily. Good to see you," he smiled softly to himself at her genuinely pleased look and crossed to April. He tapped the top of her head with his forefinger. "You alright?"

"No complaints. Or not ones I'd care to air here," April twisted her head to look up at him. "It's coffee related and I think I would be roasted like a bean if I was to share," she shot a knowing look at Lorelai who was ushering Sam into the kitchen.

"No casting aspersions about coffee." Lorelai told her amiably. She sat on her recently vacated chair and then patted her lap inviting Sam on, as there were no other chairs around the table.

"I'll get the chairs from the desks," Luke glanced at the stairs.

"I was going to get them but then I thought you'd get mad at me for doing it," Lorelai quirked her eyebrows at him.

Luke nodded in agreement before finally turning his attention to the paper on the table. "What's all this?"

"We're allowed to enter the science fair this year," Willow explained finding a print out from beneath the paper.

"We're spit balling," Kitty grinned impishly, "but no actual spit balls."

Luke shook his head imagining what prompted that response. "You got any ideas?"

"No," Willow sighed sadly. "It's all either really really hard or have been done so many times before,"

"Volcanos, blech," Kitty rested her chin on her hands staring at the papers. "April's suggestions are too brainy."

"All we need is a good question for you to explore. We have time. We don't have to come up with an idea now," Lorelai soothed, "We can come up with one later."

"I got a good question," Sam piped in, leaning forward excitedly.

Kitty lifted her head and raised her eyebrows. "Is it about dinosaurs?"

Sam looked momentarily crestfallen. "No. It's about colours." When no one said anything, Luke gave him an encouraging nod. Sam took a deep breath his face lit up in curious excitement. "How do we know that the way we see colour is the same way everyone else sees colour? I know the sky is blue because that is what Mommy and Daddy told me. But how do I know that the way they see blue is the same as me. What if they see blue the way I see red?"

Luke was unable to stop his mouth drop open at the question. Instinctively he and the rest of the table turned to look at April. She was looking thoughtful but that she hadn't jumped in with an answer told him that April didn't have one just yet or if she did it wasn't anything the rest of them would understand. "I think that might be another really hard questions Sam."

"Ya think?" Kitty piped up her eyebrows risen in confusion. "It's cool though," she added with a warm smile at Sam.

"Hmmm my smart cookies," Lorelai pressed a kiss into Sam's curls and gave a beaming smile around the table hovering on Rory a second longer than anyone else as if hoping it would sink in. "So chef what's on the menu?"

"I was going to do Spaghetti Bolognese," he glanced around the table for any protests. "Give me 40 minutes."

"I'll help Dad," April made to stand up.

"Nah I got it," Luke patted her shoulder. "Help the twins with the science thing. We can talk later."

"Can I help?" Rory asked softly, the table turned to look at her. Lorelai's eyes dancing with happiness at Rory doing anything more than the existing she had been doing in the time with them.

"Sure as long as you don't have that stirring thing your Mom does that obliterates whatever I'm making," Luke nodded. He held his arm out for Rory to walk in front of him and then crossed to join her in the kitchen. He pulled the large pasta pan out of the cupboard and held it out to her "Can you put a pan of water on?"

"Sure," Rory turned to the sink. She paused and glanced at him. "Thanks."

He frowned. "For?"

Rory shrugged and stared the running water. "Just thanks."

Luke raised his chin slowly, still unsure what she was thanking him for. Knowing that sense was still probably a little way beyond Rory's grasp at present he nodded softly. He smiled at her and after she set the pan on the stove pointed at the fridge trying to make the activity as normal as possible. "Get the left veg drawer," he pulled out the chopping board. Rory did as asked but paused when she pulled out the drawer which was filled with mushrooms, celery, broccoli, carrots and an onion. "Yep," he nodded conspiratorially. "It all goes in. Got to get those nutrients in your Mom somehow. Make up for all that junk she ate before we were married."


	29. Intelligence Gathering

**AN - Thank you so much everyone for your wonderful comments. I promised things would get better see I'm not a liar honest :) plus now Rory's back in Stars Hollow it gives me a chance to pull some more characters in (more this chapter :) I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading, let me know what you thinkx**

* * *

 **Chapter 29 – Intelligence Gathering**

"No Mommy," Grace shook her head, her face twisted in disgust. "That's yuck."

"You don't think people would want to sit in mud?" Lorelai smirked as she moved the post it with mud bath written on to a pile of discarded post its.

Grace stared at her incredulously. "It's mud."

"Good point Shortcake," Lorelai looked at the next post it. "Hot stones?"

"Stones that are hot," Grace stared at her unblinkingly. "How does that make you pretty?"

"It makes you relax, removes all your tension," Lorelai explained. "So you don't look like this," she pulled an angry face, "And end up with a hunchback."

"Stones that are hot," Grace repeated as if it was the most stupid thing in the world. The little girl shook her head and slid off her chair. "I'm gonna go read."

"Ok Shortcake thanks for your help."

"Welcome," Grace muttered, trotting out the kitchen. "Hi Rory."

Lorelai looked towards the front door as Rory came through looking exhausted. "Cutie get to school OK?"

"Yeah," Rory stumbled into the kitchen and sank into a chair. "God, that's exhausting."

"The driving?" Lorelai asked moving her post its about on the table. "You going to take a nap?"

"A lie down," Rory nodded. "Can we got shopping this afternoon?"

Lorelai smiled, Rory had been a hermit for nearly a month, only venturing out for therapy appointments and this last week Gigi's school run. "What do you need to go shopping for?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows. "We just need to unpack some of those boxes."

"I have the alumni thing on Tuesday and nothing really fits right and it's Paris and everyone I used to go to school with and I really don't want to have anything to be got at. I know Paris will 'protect me'," she air quoted with a heavy sigh, "but I need something that says 'I'm a normal human not someone who should be wearing a strait jacket.'"

"Who needs a strait jacket? You're no Judy Martin," Lorelai shook her head. "But yeah we can go. We should maybe go before lunch, eat while we're there so I'm back in time for pick up. Are you OK with Grace being there? She's very good at clothes. Though she may find you something with unicorns on," Lorelai continued to shuffle her papers around. "If not, I can see if Luke is OK with her in the diner?"

"I can use some whimsy." Rory looked at the pile of post its. "What is all this?"

"Oh, I have to decide what treatments we're going to offer and what gym equipment we're going to have, so that we know how many electrical sockets we need and if there are any special features that need to be built in or any special power requirements. Tom needs to know for loading," she shrugged in lack of understanding. "I also need to know for hiring folk but that is a later on thing. And ordering stuff and the nine million other things I have to do."

"Sounds complicated," Rory rolled her eyes. "My brain can't cope with that."

"Mine neither but I have no excuse," Lorelai grinned. "Go have a lie down we'll head out about 11, introduce Grace to a smorgasbord and get you something to wear for your school thing."

"Thanks Mom," Rory heaved her way out of her chair and crossed to stairs. She paused and looked back at Lorelai. "Was Sam crying yesterday?"

Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief, it was slow to sink in but Rory was starting to notice things, slowly coming back to that observant person she had always been. "Grizzling. He doesn't want to have Friday Night Dinner at Mom's House. He wants to have it here." Lorelai ran her hands through her lose hair and tried to smile. She understood the mini meltdown that Sam had had yesterday afternoon. "He said he keeps expecting to see Grandpa and it makes him sad. That's why we're going to Sniffy's."

"We are? Did you say?" Rory looked alarmed.

Lorelai frowned trying to think about if Rory had been present for any of the conversations when it had come up "I…" she pouted. "Maybe not with you. But Mom was OK with it so we're taking the opportunity for everyone to get a night off and we don't go nearly as much as we should to see them." Lorelai scratched her head cursing herself at her own forgetfulness in telling Rory. "Go lay down sweets I'll wake you up in an hour."

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily smiled gratefully at April as her granddaughter held the door to the restaurant open for her. The restaurant was loud, stuffy with overzealous heating, hot air from the kitchen and hot air from the customers all talking loudly to be heard over the general hubbub of the busy Friday night crowd. Familiar laughter drew her attention to the back of the restaurant. The twins cackling in delight at something they had just heard. A server was approaching and Emily pointed walking forward without a word.

Sam was the first to spot her, his little face transformed from giggling to concern. He slid from his chair only pausing when Luke caught the sleeve of his zip hoodie. When Luke saw her he nodded in greeting and let Sam go. Sam hurried over and came to a stop just short of her. "Hi Grandma!"

"Hello Sam," Emily smiled down at him.

"It's really good to see you," he smiled nervously up at her.

"It's lovely to see you too. And so lovely to be out of the house," Sam's face erupted in a delighted smile telling Emily instantly that Lorelai's babbling about the kids wanting a change of scenery was in fact Sam. "Am I sitting with you?"

"No," Sam pointed at a spare chair between Willow and Grace. "Willow wanted to sit with you. April sitting by Daddy," he reached to take April's hand to pull her to her seat.

Emily smiled as Willow scampered over to her, without a moment's hesitation, the child threw her arms around Emily's middle and cuddled her tight. "Hi Grandma."

"Hello Precious," Emily instinctively smoothed Willows hair. "Sam tells me I'm to sit with you."

"Yes between me and Grace," Willow pulled her over to her side of the table. "Remember we don't order here. Auntie Maisy and Uncle Buddy just bring food."

"Am allowed to at least see a menu?" Emily stumbled over the mess of chair legs, fallen down coats and bags.

"No," Grace looked up from her colouring sheet; she smiled at Emily and slid the sheet into Emily's place. "For you."

"Thank you Gracie," Emily studied the picture. A dancing cartoon mouse that Grace had intricately coloured in almost perfect stripes. "It's lovely." She slowly shrugged off her coat and looked around the table. "Hello everyone. Hello Lorelai," she almost winced as Lorelai looked bemused at why she should be singled out for a named hello. "Luke," she added.

"Yeah?" Luke looked up at her.

"I was saying hello," Emily sank into her seat. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Maisy approaching holding two glasses and she breathed a sigh of relief at the distraction.

Maisy stopped in front of her on the opposite side of the table and gave her an eerily knowing smile before leaning over Kitty to place a glass of white wine in front of her. "Chablis." Maisy straightened and walked down the table to April, "and a ginger ale. Buddy's making you you're favourite," she affectionately tugged April's ponytail and then crossed back to stand in front of Emily. "Now I'll make you a Caesar salad even though that's just a side but you have got to eat at least a slice of my cheesy bread. The kids can help you finish it, won't you?" Maisy quirked her eyebrows at Grace who nodded with an eager smile.

"The cheesy bread's really good," Kitty flared her eyes at Emily excited. "Can I have barbeque sauce?"

"You think I'm going to serve you chicken dippers without barbeque sauce," Maisy tapped Kitty on the head with a wry shake of her own.

"I love chicken dippers," Kitty grinned.

"I know," Maisy squeezed Kitty's shoulders. She studied Emily closely, her eyes narrowing. "You know what, no, you're not getting salad. You eat too much of that. You're going to have brisket." Without another word, Maisy turned and walked back to the kitchen to amend her order.

"The brisket is really good Mom," Lorelai called from the other end of the table. "Everything is good here, but the brisket is really good."

"Why did she change her mind?" Emily sought out Luke. Her son in law was studying her in a similar way to Maisy. Almost as if, he was reading her.

He took a sip of his beer and smiled softly at her. "When it comes to food Maisy always knows what a person needs and wants. Sometimes she gives you what you want. Sometimes what you need," he glanced at Lorelai. "But at least you know what you are getting, we don't find out till the plate arrives."

"They've never been wrong yet though," Lorelai fiddled with her cutlery. "Do you think I can get some caramel apple pie for dessert?"

"You've had it every time you come in here. Even when we came in for breakfast you always get caramel apple pie," Luke rolled his eyes and looked back towards Emily. "You'll have to have some dessert. Maisy really won't take no for an answer."

Maisy really didn't take no for an answer and after a decent sized helping of beef brisket with roasted new potatoes and vegetables Emily was presented with a generous slice of apple pie which Maisy informed her was 'just straight'. She took a bite to be polite but upon tasting it found she couldn't stop. The pie was the most delicious she had ever eaten, sweet but tart, the pastry, buttery and crumbly. Emily devoured it in an almost stupor. When she hit plate she almost wanted to ask for more despite the fact she had eaten more tonight than she had at any meal in the 6 months since Richard's passing. She could feel her stomach straining though she didn't feel sick. She leaned back to make more room for her stomach. An action that was being carried out by most of the table occupants apart from Grace who was still wading through an ice-cream sundae bigger than her head and Lorelai who was leaning forward studying the table with a wide smile on her face. Their eyes connected for a moment and Lorelai's smile brightened even more then possible before she quirked her eyebrows and gently inclined her head. Emily turned her head and looked at Rory sat at the end of the table with Spencer, her granddaughter was smiling and from the looks of it the couple were holding hands beneath the table. She turned back to Lorelai and returned her smile. Luke caught her eye and he raised his beer in a knowing toast. Somehow everything feeling that little bit better. A little bit more tangible out of the confines of her self-imposed prison of home.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory peered up at the stone façade of the building she had last been in thirteen years ago. It didn't look any different than it had when she has been a student except that the teenagers walking around looked far more polished then she remembered she and her classmates being. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a black BMW whipping into the parking space behind her. Instinctively she braced herself, with the speed the car was going, knowing it would be impossible to stop in time. The car did not in fact hit her but she could almost feel the shockwave caused by its speed and velocity. She didn't need to look in her mirror to know who this was. With a sigh she pulled herself out of the car and tottered on the heels that she had once been able to wear with ease and now made her feel like Bambi to the back of the car. There was less than half an inch between her rear bumper and the front bumper of Paris' car.

Paris climbed out of her car with a beaming smile that looked almost sinister combined with the sharp suit and severe bobbed haircut. "Well you look perfectly normal. What was all that bleating about?"

Rory blushed. "I haven't really gone out much at all."

"Mommy dearest keeping you on a leash?" Paris glanced down at the lack of space between the cars with a self-satisfied smirk. "You were always too co-dependent."

"It's nothing like that, more like the meds," Rory self-consciously hugged herself. "I'm just so tired all the time."

"I can't say I've ever had that problem with tranquilizers. I always have to take double the dose to get any kind of effect," Paris's smile softened. "I'm glad you're OK though. Moreover, you have to take it as an opportunity. You are too good to be languishing in a low-rent college."

"A state university is hardly a low-rent college," Rory scowled. "And how am I supposed to look for opportunity when I don't know what I want to do."

"Well we can figure that out. I booked us for cocktails at a bar after this. I mean this is a lunch event how good is it really going to be," Paris waved her hand dismissively when Rory began to protest that she couldn't drink with her meds. "One cocktail never hurt anyone. Come on lets go in."

Rory wordlessly followed the tornado that was Paris Geller across the parking lot and into the school administration building. A young student visibly shrank at the sight of Paris barrelling towards her and Rory thought she saw a few of the recognisable faculty members suddenly disappear from the atrium. Rory hung back and let Paris register. When the student handed Paris a name badge Rory stepped in sensing that Paris was about to launch into some kind of rant about the pin and her jacket. "Rory Anderton-Gilmore."

"Oh Yes," The student looked visibly relieved. "Your schedule. And the map."

"Like we need a map. This place hasn't changed at all. Nice to know the donations I made to the capital budget has been invested," Paris mumbled. "Where are you giving your talk?"

"I'm not giving one," Rory breathed a sigh of relief. "Just a meeting with Headmaster Charleston and then milling around with everyone else. Do you know if Madeline and Louise are coming?"

"Madeline is doing some fashion shoot. Who know that airhead would actually be good at something. Louise said she might be coming but it depended on the puffiness. How come you're meeting Charleston? I don't have a meeting with him." Paris furiously scanned her list again.

"I don't know. What puffiness? Is Louise OK?" Rory asked instinctively pulling her schedule towards her so Paris didn't try and grab it from her.

"Didn't you hear? Husband number 2 actually knocked her up. She had her baby 8 weeks ago, the baby weight sucked out 2 weeks ago. I gave her a good rate." Paris shrugged. "I better get going."

"Oh right," Rory blinked, feeling almost bruised from the encounter. "I'll see you later."

"That you will good friend. Say hello to the old curmudgeon from me," Paris pivoted without a further word and stalked off down a corridor, any students parting in front of her.

Rory glanced at the group of former classmates milling around by a drinks table. She didn't recognise any of them. Having ten minutes to kill before her audience with Headmaster Charleston she used the time to wash her hands, check she didn't look too windswept from her encounter with Paris and sit on the bench outside. She felt surprisingly serene and she knew if it wasn't for her meds she would be a swirling ball of anxiety. Just before her appointment, she slipped into the headmaster's secretary. She was shown in immediately. The Headmaster looked almost the same, just a few more lines around his eyes. He stood with a warm smile moving to greet her like an old friend. "Hello Headmaster Charleston," she held her hand out. He stopped, looking momentarily down at her hand before taking it and giving her a hearty handshake.

"Hello Rory. Please take a seat." He stepped back and offered her the seat he had offered her the first time she was in this office. "How are you? Emily said that you have been under the weather."

"You talk to Grandma?" Rory asked him evasively and forced herself to smile.

"Bitty does. Or tries. Your grandmother hasn't felt much up to socialising. Not that I can blame her. We miss Richard greatly, so we can only imagine how she feels." Charleston's smile weakened. "A great loss."

"Yes," Rory exhaled slowly.

"I understand your moving back here. I was a little bit confused over what it is you did. Are you a librarian or did you work in one?"

"No, I'm not a librarian," Rory frowned. "I was working in Academic skills at the library at University of Maryland, producing resources and running workshops. I fell into it. I worked as a writing tutor at Columbia University and then we moved to Baltimore." she sighed. "We lost a funding stream. Funding the eternal academic dilemma. My husband and I are moving back here to be nearer family."

"I understand, that is why you are currently between jobs?"

"I still peer review, not that that pays anything and I coedit a journal. I'm not unemployed, technically." Rory whispered.

"Your PhD is in English?" he continued, he held up his hand apologetically, "This sounds like prying. I apologise, but I have a motive."

"Comparative literature and linguistics, specialising in the evolution of women's literature." Rory reeled off. She felt herself retreating into the chair, concerned by the soft smile on the headmaster's lips "What motive?"

"I will have a couple of openings in the faculty. A few upcoming retirements. One in the English department, the other in the library. I thought I might save the school the cost of advertising one of the positions by offering you one. Preferably given your credentials the English department position," Charleston's smile widened.

"What?"

Charleston reached behind him and plucked a folder from his desk. "The job specifications. The English teacher is on the top."

"You want me to come and teach here?" Rory stared at him incredulously.

"You were an excellent student. You have a PhD from Columbia University. You taught there for a while. You would be a credit to the faculty." Charleston continued. "You don't have to answer right away." He regarded her for a moment. "This isn't favouritism or sympathy Rory. It happens to be one of those serendipitous moments when the perfect person for the job, Is available at the time the job is available"

"You think I'm perfect for the job?" Rory whispered, finally taking the folder from him. She stared down at the folder and then back up at him. "You'd be OK with that? A student coming back to teach."

"Teaching is one of the finest professions there is Rory," Charleston smiled knowingly at her. "This is a coup for us, not something that should be considered a failure. You would be a wonderful teacher. You clearly had talent for Columbia to want you. You always had such passion for literature." He held Rory's gaze until she finally had to look away. He cleared his throat "Think about it. Let me know your decision by the end of Monday." He shuffled forward in his seat. "Now why don't you go join the rest of the reunion. If you don't mind occupying Dr Geller I would be eternally grateful. She was very forceful on the phone and I do not look forward to her giving me her professional opinion of what I need to do with myself." He looked momentarily alarmed. "Surgery wise I mean, though I'm sure she could come up with a few colourful suggestions for the other way of taking that statement."

Rory nodded mutely. A knock at the door brought the meeting to the end and Rory gratefully slipped out of the room. The folder containing the job specs felt like a lifeline and a burning noose. She wasn't sure if Charleston was being sincere or if he was just helping her out because of his connection to Emily. She followed the path to where others from her class were milling about. Paris was holding court with a few people and she made her way over. From the topic of conversation, they were all doctors and the conversation seemed to be lamenting speciality training and the difficulties they had faced in getting into their chosen field. She listened patiently until Paris finally seemed to notice her. Clearly, she had some kind of face on because Paris turned without another word away from the group and put her arm round Rory's waist. Rory found herself buffeted outside into the school grounds, again students flowed around them although this time there was a far few number of terrified glances from students with tear streaked faces.

"What did the old curmudgeon do?" Paris almost forced her onto a bench.

"Do?" Rory stared at Paris and shook her head. "He offered me a job."

Paris looked surprised "Here?"

"Yeah. In the English department."

"Huh," Paris did a raised chin nod of seeming approval. "Why do you look so freaked then?"

"I'm not a teacher."

Paris scowled at her. "Course you are. You taught me when I couldn't understand. You were the only one who could make me understand."

"That was high school chemistry."

"And this is high school English." She paused and tipped her head in consideration. "' _The women I know with strong personalities, the ones who might have become generals or the heads of companies if they were men, become teachers. Teaching is a calling, too. And I've always thought that teachers in their way are holy–angels leading their flocks out of the darkness_.' "

"What?"

"Jeanette Walls," Paris shot her a sideways look. "Would you prefer I quote Stienbeck or Jung."

"Steinbeck or Jung?"

"You are being deliberately obtuse Gilmore. ' _One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child_.' That's Jung. And that's you."

"Paris," Rory blushed, looking down at the folder with the job specifications in. "I'm not…"

"It's not just high school chemistry Rory," Paris caught her gaze. "You taught me a great many things. You will teach me a great many things. You are a very good teacher." Unblinkingly she forced Rory to keep eye contact. "You know I don't bullshit. You know I'm not lying."

"Paris."

"Don't Paris me," She scowled. "If I didn't know any better I'd give you a slap for trying to humble brag." She reached and placed her hand over Rory's and gave it a little squeeze. "This is where you should be Rory. They were always supposed to be your halls. This was always your domain."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Sure I can be there. OK bye," Luke set the phone in the cradle and stared at in in confusion for a few moments. Behind him the door open and closed and he glanced behind him seeing no one apparently entering. He turned just in time to see a small chubby hands place on the counter and a fluff of hair appear. "Grace?"

Grace's face appeared and then disappeared as the child tried and failed to pull herself onto one of the counter stools. He rounded the counter and caught her on the second attempt, hauling her up on the seat. "Thank you Daddy," she smiled at him and then pointed to the window. "Mommy's talking on her cell."

Luke followed her pointed finger and watched Lorelai march past the window, turn abruptly at the door and march back the other way. "How long have you been out there?"

"This sixteen." Grace told him she repositioned herself on the stool. She smiled at him hopefully "Can I have some food? Mommy made a bad lunch."

"Potato chip sandwich?" Luke suggested. Grace nodded sadly. "You want some fruit? A soft boiled egg with soldiers?" Grace nodded eagerly and then made a movement with her hand. Luke watched as she repeated it, trying to decipher. "Oh." He leaned towards her. "You want me to make the fruit a pretty shape." Grace nodded eagerly again. "One egg and some fruit shapes," He turned as Lorelai stomped into the diner. "You OK?"

"That was Sookie," Lorelai slumped onto the stool beside Grace, almost spinning off with her angry movement. "She has postponed again. I mean at this point it's getting fairly obvious she's not coming back but I need to have a conversation about what this means. How to manage the restaurant. She kept changing the subject. It's just so…" she glanced at Grace and snorted in amusement as Grace clenched her hands raising them in anger and pulled a face "Exactly. Like that. Now has this one asked you for More yet? I think the refrigerator is dying, all the sandwich fillings looked and smelled gross. We had a potato chip sandwich which was better than salmonella."

"More like certain people didn't close the door properly," Luke rolled his eye. "I've got stuff here we can use. I'm making Grace a soft boil egg. You want one?"

"Nah," Lorelai reached for the cloche that covered the donuts. She lifted the Perspex lid plucked a sprinkle covered donut and shoved it in her mouth before he could say anything. Swallowing her massive bite without seemingly chewing she looked up at him. "Just coffee."

"That is not just coffee," he rolled his eyes and then looked pointedly at Grace. "No, OK."

"I don't want donuts," Grace frowned. "I want fruit shapes."

"Fruit shapes I can do," Luke gave Lorelai an imploring look. He rounded the counter leaving Grace explaining to Lorelai what fruit shapes were. Lorelai appeared a few moments later the last piece of donut in her hand. "I'll do you some too."

"Can you make swans?" Lorelai looked hopefully.

"No it's just like fans." Luke shook his head. "Are you going off somewhere or are you guys here until you need to pick up the kids?"

"Here," Lorelai looked around the kitchen clearly searching for something.

Luke rolled his eyes, knowing that that look was her looking for anything edible to eat. "I'm gonna do you an egg too."

"I don't want an egg," Lorelai pouted. "Can I have fries?"

"You need protein."

"Cheesy Fries?"

"No," Luke shook his head; Lorelai opened her mouth to protest. "Emily called she wants me to have dinner with her on Thursday."

Lorelai's head recoiled like she'd been hit, her head moving in a circle, her mouth closed and then when her head straightened whatever she had been about to say was gone. "Why?"

"To discuss a matter," Luke studied Lorelai carefully. She looked down at the floor her hips shifting from left to right. "She didn't say anything else. Think it's about April?"

"Maybe." Lorelai nodded thoughtfully. "Or whatever Dad left you. She said in due course. Is six months due enough?"

"I dunno. He didn't need to leave me anything," Luke sighed. He turned back to the pan, the water had begun to boil so he turned off the heat and started the timer. "If it's a male thing, like a watch or something like that. We should give it to Sam."

"I don't think it's a watch," Lorelai looked at him sadly. She looked over her shoulder at the sound of her cellphone blaring out, followed by the thud of Grace landing on the floor. Grace appeared a moment later, blue cellphone in hand. "Thank you Shortcake." She stepped into the kitchen. "I'm not in the diner. I'm in the kitchen."

"Always the loophole," Luke rolled his eyes. He studied his wife's face, her features were dancing, eyebrows moving up and down, mouth opening wider in surprise. "What?"

Lorelai held out her hand for him to be quiet and then after a quiet. "Ok Bye Babe." Looked up at Luke in surprise. "Chilton offered Rory a job teaching English."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke rang the doorbell to the Gilmore mansion with trepidation. He hardly ever came here by himself and it felt strange to be here without a flock of kids to herd. The ever-smiling maid opened the door and then gestured for him to go to Richard's study. Emily was waiting for him staring up at the oil portrait of a teenage Rory, the woman looking tiny as she leaned against her husband's oversized desk. "Emily?"

It seemed to take her a moment to register him but she turned slowly to look at him with a warm smile. "Hello Luke," she moved to sit behind Richard's desk. "Take a seat," He did so, rubbing his palms against the slacks he'd worn. The still felt sweaty. "I hear Rory was offered a job."

"Yeah. Did April tell you?" Luke glanced over towards the now closed door.

"The twins. We're on a group chat. I think on Lorelai's phone. They keep sending me these hieroglyphic symbols that I have no idea what they mean. It's taken me 3 months to realise the Kitty is signing off with a picture of a cat." She rolled her eyes. "At least Rory is getting better. Her and Spencer seem to be getting on well too."

"Yeah…" he stammered, discussing Rory was not something he'd been prepared for. She was doing better in aspects but it wasn't his battle to talk about. He didn't mind being a sounding block for Lorelai but beyond that he felt like anything else other than to defend her was invading Rory's privacy, even with Emily. He glanced around the office looking for something else to steer the conversation.

Emily seemed to catch his uncomfortableness. "I'm sure Lorelai told you that Richard left you something."

"Yeah, he didn't need to, its…"

"But he did." Emily shot an almost wounded look. "Richard left you the proceeds of a sale of a tract of land here in West Hartford. The sale is now completed. This." She flipped open a folder and drew out a cheque, "is for you." She slid the cheque as far across the desk as she could reach. "I believe it was his wish that you use it to expand your business. I do not care what you do with it as long as you don't fritter it. It should be used for the extraordinary not the everyday."

"Emily this is gen…" the word generous died in his throat as he actually looked at the amount written on the cheque. "A hundred and sixty five thousand dollar?"

"It was a 2 acre plot," Emily nodded, stashing her folder away.

"Emily, this is… it's too much. You should use it for…" Luke tried to protest.

"I don't need it. Richard left it for you," She gave him a tired look. "Luke that is a mere drop in the ocean to what I have."

"A hundred and sixty five thousand dollars is a drop in the ocean?" Luke stared at her in awe. He knew Lorelai's parents were wealthy but to hear someone so casually disregard such a large amount of money made him realise just how wealthy they really were.

Emily gave him an almost impish stare, looking like she was almost enjoying his discomfort. "It is considered vulgar to discuss money but as you are family," she gestured at him. "It comes to Lorelai anyway," her hand fluttered around her hair, seemingly unwilling to say 'when I die'. "Even before he inherited Trix's money, Richard was a very successful businessman. We had several million dollars' worth of property and stock. After he inherited from his mother, that portfolio went up to twenty six million. That is just the portfolio." She pressed her fingers together peering at him over the desk. "The dividends and rental incomes alone. Well, hence we are able to lay down sixty thousand dollars a year for April's education without hesitation." She smiled knowingly at him. "Would you like a whisky? Dinner should be ready shortly."

She rose and Luke followed her in a daze. April was already at the dining table, chattering away to Berta. She cast him a nervous look but she and Emily soon fell into a conversation that he had no idea what they were talking about and instead just sat there mute, feeling like the cheque that was in his pocket was burning through the fabric. He managed only a brief conversation with April after the dinner and somehow managed to drive home without crashing the truck.

When he walked into the house Lorelai was pottering around the kitchen. Her hair was fluffy and flyaway; she was wearing white footsie socks, jeggings and top with a stylised image of a pineapple on. She looked nothing like he imagined a multimillion dollar heiress should look like.

"Soooo?" Lorelai singsonged turning to look at him with a cheeky smile. "Was it a watch?"

He silently drew out the cheque and handed it to her. Her eyes widened as she took in the number. Her lips pressed together and then she went to her set point of humour. She blew out her cheeks in exaggeration appreciation. "MMM so many shoes. Or do you have to spend on something specific?"

"No specifics, just extraordinary not every day," he told her quietly. "I tried to give it back."

"I bet Mom took that well," Lorelai snorted in amusement. "Did she hit you? Is that why you look so" she widened her eyes and presented him with an image of someone in complete shock.

"She didn't hit me," Luke looked down at his shoes. He felt embarrassed to know how much the Gilmore's were worth. It suddenly made everything seem so complicated, even though having money made things so much easier. It just felt like everything that he, they worked for seemed pointless. Lorelai was staring at him waiting for him to elaborate, "She told me how much the stocks and property portfolio was worth."

"We can buy the shoe store then," Lorelai smirked, her expression faltered at his lack of response. "How much?" she asked softly.

"Twenty six million," Luke whispered. If her eyes had been wide before they were almost popping out of her skull now. "I know."

"That's…That's…" Lorelai stammered looking down at the cheque and then back up at him "Holy crap!"

"I know."

"That's not even normal rich that's rich rich. Richie Rich rich. Like Rich rich rich." she ran her hands through her hair "Holy mother of midas. That's…"

"I know!"

"Like with the…" Lorelai gestured wildly. "Like…Oh my god!"

"I know!"

"She could actually have a Scrooge Mcduck swimming through money thing!"

"Yeah!"

"That's why they can Daddy Warbucks everything. Just write a cheque for whatever is needing money?"

"Yeah!"

She gasped and clasped her chest. "Oh my god. Does that mean we…" she gestured between them "that we…when Mom…we?"

"I think, yeah," he nodded, "that's what she alluded to."

"Wowee," Lorelai shook her head. "Doesn't matter though. Mom is going to outlive all of us, seriously she's immortal, Grace's granddaughter will still be visiting her," She moved closer to him and handed him back his cheque. "This is for you to spend on you."

"Like what? I don't need anything. Maybe we could do something as a family," Luke took it and stared at the piece of paper.

"You don't have to figure it out right now," Lorelai rubbed his forearm. Her smile turned impish almost a mirror of the one Emily had given him earlier in the evening. "You know the spring lines are coming out though. There are some really cute…"

"You don't need any more shoes," Luke rolled his eyes. She mock gasped and placed the back of her hand to her forehead feinting a swoon. "Come on Imelda."

"But they're so pretty and you like my legs. Think how pretty they'll make my legs."

"You don't need shoes to make your legs…" he cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a different type of flustered. She smiled knowingly at him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "We should…"

"Yeah we should."


	30. Eras New and Old

**AN - Thank you guys, Trying to include a few more characters had to include Paris so as it's AYITL territory figured this was the best way :) Lets see where it goes ;). So next chapter, thank you for reading, hope you enjoy, let me know what you think**

* * *

 **Chapter 30–Eras New and Old  
**

"So which of all these fabulous birthday presents are you going to take for show and tell?" Lorelai peered at the present mountain. Kindergarten birthday parties, the most gifts a child would ever get in their life because every single kid was invited. At that age friendships were so fickle, kids could be mortal enemies one moment, friends the next. Sam's birthday at Miss Patty's had been a roaring success, quite literally. They had hired Kirk to be the entertainer. Another new venture of his. Mostly because with everything going on they'd left it to the last minute to get anything arranged. Kirk being so oblivious and unselfconscious had thrown himself into performing animal noises and slapstick comedy; even Luke had been impressed. Most importantly the kids had loved it.

Sam surveyed the gifts deep in thought. There were many Lego sets, colouring books, stationary, cuddly toys, but at the centre was one gift that his eyes kept falling onto. Slowly his hand reached out and he lifted the jungle explorer hat that his little friend Ceilidh had given him. "This Mommy."

"Alright," Lorelai took the hat from him and positioned it on his head. Sam beamed out excitedly at her. "Perfect"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah Little Man!" Lorelai rocked back on her heels and stood. "Come on lets get trucking."

"Yes Mommy," Sam scurried over to collect his backpack. Together they made their way down the stairs. The girls were already mostly ready, coats on but not zipped, shoes on but not fastened. "Okie doke beautiful ones. bip bip we're going to be late."

"For a very important date!" Willow sounded crouching down to check the fastening on her shoe. Lorelai started at the shoes for a moment, they were the smart shoes, party shoes and somewhen across the line Willow had seemingly hacked off the strap and replaced it with a ribbon. They were cute in a haphazard kind of way. "Honeybunch, won't your feet get cold?"

"No Mommy, Schools hot," Willow gave her a beautiful if mildly oblivious smile. She skipped off towards the kitchen to collect lunch bags.

Grace sidled up and shoved her foot forward so Lorelai could tie her laces. Lorelai bent down ensuring that Grace could see and together they mumbled the bunny ears rhyme and by the time they were finished Willow was back with the lunch bags and had handed Sam his. Unable to chastise Willow for vandalising her shoes given the time Lorelai pulled on her coat and herded the children out the door. The most dangerous part was getting from the house to the inn, once there it was the back route through to town and then town was fully paved. She let the twins hold court as they walked briskly along the road and then once they reached the gravel drive of the inn she waited for a break in their conversation and took control. "So I think Sam looks very handsome in his explorer hat"

"Mommy," Kitty looked back in disgust. "He's our brother I can't think he's handsome, that's just gross!"

"Now now, how about debonair, or distinguished?" Lorelai tried again feeling Sam's hand clench within hers.

"Why can't they think I'm handsome?" Sam whispered. "I think they're pretty."

"Do?" Grace peered round Lorelai's other side nearly falling over from not paying attention where she was going.

Sam nodded eagerly, nearly dislodging his hat. "All you are. You all got really pretty eyes, and lovely smiles. You look like Mommy. how can you not be pretty?"

"Flattery will get you everywhere my boy," Lorelai jostled his arm.

Kitty turned but continued to skip backwards down the path. "Ok, I guess you're kind of handsome." She turned back and began to sidestep bouncing exuberantly with each step. "As boys go."

Sam's face twisted in confusion and he looked up at Lorelai. "Is she being nice?"

"I say we take that she is," Lorelai scrunched her nose up at him. They reached the end of the path and went through the wooden gate. After crossing the road they continued down Calla lily way until the reached the park where Grace stopped and looked forlornly at the swings. "Come on Shortcake. You can play on the swing at home."

"Swings is more fun than walking," Grace intoned sadly.

"Rollerskating is more fun than walking, or skateboarding is more fun than walking," Kitty bounced alongside her. She scooped her sister into her arms and took off at a trot, Grace cackling delight.

"Bubba be careful!" Lorelai called, feeling her insides squelch in apprehension.

"Where does she get all that energy from?" Willow muttered with an air of middle-aged tiredness, she took the space that Grace had occupied, looping her hand in Lorelai's.

"Who knows, I need a vat of coffee for that much energy," Lorelai paced with the two children trying to catch up with the other two. "Honeybunch why did you do that to your shoes?"

"I wanted them to be pretty and like no one elses. I like your shoes Mommy, but my feet are too small," Willow chewed on her lip. "Are you mad?"

"Bemused mad. Next time you want to do something like that can we talk about it first." She jiggled Willows hand. She joined Kitty and Grace and looked both ways before walking across the street. As she neared the centre of the street something bright caught her eye and she paused for the briefest of moments before Sam and Willow pulled her the rest of the way across the street. They turned to join the rest of the Stars Hollow children making their way to school but Lorelai's attention remained drawn to the bright red moving van and the short stout figure directing movers taking the belongings out of the single story blue house.

After dropping off the kids she retraced their steps walking too fast for Grace and in the end hauling the child onto her hip and almost running down the street to get back to the blue house. The moving van was gone but Jackson stood in the front yard hammering in a sign that read. _For Sale by Owner_.

"Jackson!"

He looked up and gave her beaming smile. "Hey Lorelai. You just missed Sookie, she's gone with the movers."

"You're officially moving?" Lorelai asked breathily. She hefted Grace higher on her hip.

"Yeah we're selling the house, so we can invest in the…" Jackson's smile diminished, sinking into uneasy. "Did Sookie not tell you?"

Lorelai shook her head, her eyes widening. "No, every time we talk she changes the subject. What about the inn?"

Jackson shifted uneasily, he turned his attention to the post and tested the solidity. "Sookie should really talk to you. I'll get her to call…come by the inn. Your there on a Wednesday right?"

"Yes," Lorelai exhaled deeply and held it there, the pressure in her lungs seemingly keeping her upright. "I will see her Wednesday."

"Sure thing," Jackson smiled weakly again. He looked at the sign again.

"I should go, see you later," Lorelai started to pace away. She had known this day was coming but it wasn't any easier. Grace usually unhappy at being carried in this manner remained silent, and then her small gloved hand rested on her chest. Lorelai glanced at the four year old. Grace's gaze was empathetic to the max; a wise old woman staring out of the bright innocent eyes. "I'm OK Shortcake."

Grace patted her chest comfortingly.

* * *

 **xXx**

"It's making a kind of thunking noise," Rory tried to explain as Gypsy lifted the hood of her grey hatchback car. "I'm not sure how long it's been there but I heard it today when I turned the radio off. It might have been doing it a while. Or it might be because I didn't use it for like a month," she clenched her fists anxiously. "I just wanted to get it checked out seeing as how I'm driving back and forth from Hartford everyday. Did you hear it?"

"I heard it. Might be engine accessories, might be transmission. Could be nothing but I'll check it for you. You know when you last had it serviced?" Gypsy asked peering into the engine.

Rory shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"No matter," Gypsy flashed her a smile. "I can fix anything, you know that. I'll get you sorted in a gif." She tugged at the dipstick and performed a visual check. "You need new oil that's for sure." She shoved the dipstick back in and cast Rory a sideways look. "So you doing better?"

"I'm getting there," Rory nodded self-consciously. She wrapped her arms around her chest and smiled uneasily. "Luke said you offered to um…I'm sorry I never…"

Gypsy waved her hand with good-natured dismissiveness. "Don't worry about it. I know how these things can go." She rubbed her hands on the rag. "This is going to take a while. You're welcome to watch but if you want I can call you when I know what the problem is and can give you a quote. I'll do the oil for free."

"You don't nee…"

"I'll do it for free." Gypsy gave her another warm smile. "I'll call you."

"Ok." Rory nodded gratefully. She glanced around nervously. The routine was go to Gigi's school then come home. This had thrown her. She should have gone home and then gone out again. Completed one routine and started a new one. Panic flooded her chest and she clenched her hands tighter. She gave Gypsy an uneasy smile and took off so fast she was almost running. The distance from Hughes brothers to the diner wasn't far and she built up enough speed that she nearly took the door of the diner off its hinges. Luke looked up at her in anger which quickly changed to alarm. He inclined his head and she followed him towards the back room. "I'm OK," she whispered breathily.

"OK," Luke nodded with heavy uncertainty. "What happened?"

"There's something wrong with the car, and I took it straight to Gypsy. It's just I always go home. I go home and it's different and different is…" she trailed off as Luke held out his hand to get her to stop. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about," he studied her closely. "You need a routine?"

"I…yeah…I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise. So you need a routine," he looked thoughtful for a while. "I'll call Lorelai, she can come down, and you can have a coffee together and then go home together. That's routine."

"She doesn't need to," Rory took a calming breath. "Can I sit and have something?"

"Sure, whatever you want," Luke smiled at her. He raised his eyebrows, giving her a pointed look.

She smiled, Luke was testing her, challenging her to tease him by asking for stupid dishes that he didn't serve in the diner. "Can I have Beef Wellington?"

"Nope, off the menu," he feigned exasperation.

"Champagne spritzer?"

"Do I look like a liquor store?" he waved his hands at her ushering her back into the diner proper.

"An Egg crème?"

"Go next door and puke over Taylor." He went behind the counter and selected a large blue mug in front of her. "Nothing fruity."

"Apart from fruit salad or fruit juice", Rory quirked her eyebrows at him as he poured the coffee into the mug.

"Apart from that. But nothing dumb or fancy or French."

"Aren't omelettes French?" Rory took her mug feeling infinitely better. Luke gave her a tired look, his tolerance and allowance of teasing had been used up. "Can I have some cinnamon toast?" she asked seriously.

"Cinnamon toast coming up."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Lorelai!" Michel barged into the office with a look that appeared excited. That was unusual because usually the barging was caused by a customer being stupid or a staff member being stupid, or with the construction going on, a construction worker being stupid, or more to the point Michel being intolerant of someone.

"Can you knock?" Lorelai moved the screen slightly to hide the content. "Personnel records here."

Michel rolled his eyes. "I see them anyway. All you are doing is confirming that Ashley can claim maternity benefits. Like it's not obvious, she's blowing up faster than you did."

"Mean!"

"Beside the point. Lorelai, Sookie is here," Michel looked like an excited child at Christmas.

"Right," Lorelai sighed heavily.

"Why are you not happy? You should be happy." His eyes looked skyward, his face taking on a wistful look "Perhaps she can make those peanut butter cookies or the…"

"Since when do you eat cookies?" Lorelai pressed the computer closed.

"I have one sweet thing a week. Why can it not be peanut butter cookies? You would deny me peanut butter cookies?" Michel glared at her. "Beside Frederick likes me a little squishy he says it shows him how happy I am"

"Ok stop that conversation right there. Because it's going to take a turn that will make me want to bleach my ears and already the world is spinning off its axis." Lorelai flapped her hand towards the door. "Michel Gerrard happy, who'd have thought it?"

"Now who is being mean?" Michel scurried out the door.

As the door of the office swung shut Sookie slipped into the inn, she looked incredibly nervous and was clinging so tightly to the tin she was holding that her knuckles where white.

"Sookie," Michel called excitedly, he took two bouncy steps then seemed to realise himself and his demeanour shifted gear. "Where have you been?"

"At the…"

"You leave us alone. String us along. No word. No clearing of the mailbox. You leave us with Manuel, who cannot make cookies properly."

"I have cookies!" Sookie held out the tin.

"Peanut butter?"

"Chocolate caramel fudge."

Michel regarded her a second and then snatched the tin. "Fine. Go have your girlie chat." He turned walking towards the kitchen trying to pull open the tin.

Lorelai forced herself to smile as she looked at Sookie. Sookie's blouse was buttoned wrong, one hole missed out and she wasn't sure but it was possible that Sookie's shoes were two different pairs. "You're selling…"she started at the same time that Sookie said. "They were…" Lorelai smile warmed "You go."

"The cookies were for the kids," Sookie looked forlornly after Michel.

"They'll live without. So?" Lorelai gestured towards the lounge. Midweek in the middle of the day it was always quiet especially when there was something in the town square and as Taylor hadn't yet ordered the decorations be taken town it still looked like Hallmark had puked all it's decorations over it the few remaining guests they had from the Valentines day weekend were in town. "You're selling the house?"

"Yes," Sookie sat on the edge of the striped couch and looked at her wide eyed and wary. "I was going to tell you, it's just."

"You're a chicken and I had a lot going on," Lorelai sat back in the armchair and sighed. "So what does that mean for here?"

"I'd um, like to sell my stake," Sookie looked down at the floor.

Lorelai felt her heart freeze in her chest. She took a beat to collect herself. "I'd have to talk to Anne about how much everything is valued at. You might have to give me a bit of time to get it sorted, a lot of my money is tied up in the spa right now," Lorelai crossed her legs and inhaled deeply. Sookie just nodded not making eye contact. Lorelai clasped her knee and forced her voice to be as bright as the sun. "So Farming?"

"I know," Sookie smiled weakly. "It's just a whole thing, and I only injured myself twice, not bad, well once I needed stitches but it's just the whole workflow. We play with the soil acidity then we play with the plants and then we create the most amazing products. And I get to cook them, some of the flavour profiles are just awesome. It knocks the rasquat out of the park." Her excitement waned and she looked down at her feet "I'm sorry"

"It's OK. I knew this was coming. 6 weeks turned into a year, it was pretty obvious. Even before that you'd lost interest in your menus."

"I know but I'm still sorry," Sookie bounced a little, clearly uneasy. "Are we still friends?"

"Of course we are."

"Good." Sookie bounced to her feet. "I'm gonna get the cookies off Michel. They really were for the kids."

"It doesn't…" Lorelai began but Sookie scurried off. With a sigh she slumped back in the armchair. More stuff she had to deal with even if she had known it was coming. But at least now she could get all of the kitchen staff on permanent contracts and Manny could finally step out of Sookie's shadow. Maybe it was good even if it was a short-term legal headache. She rolled her eyes and sat forward. There was bickering echoing in the hallway, as she turned to look Sookie came back holding the tin with a look of disgust on her face. "Sookie?"

"He ate all of them, the whole batch, and he ate all of them."

"I guess he counts 1 sweet thing as 1 type rather than 1 actual cookie!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Yeah, I'll let everyone know. Congratulations Jess, lets us know if you need anything. Yeah I will." Luke set the phone back in the cradle on the wall. The bell over the door tinkled to signal new customers and he turned to greet them. His proud smile widened when he saw Lorelai, Rory and Grace. "Hey, Jess just called." He held his arms wide with pride. "Selena had the baby, she's a little early but everything is fine. Dorothy Lilliana Mariano. 5 pound six"

"Awww!" Lorelai sat at the nearest table. "Little Dot."

"After Dorothy Parker?" Rory asked as she too sat down.

"I didn't ask?" Luke handed them a menu needlessly. "That's an author right? Why would you think after an author?"

"She is, and that is where Hinton is from. S.E. Hinton she wrote _The Outsiders_ , it's one of Jess' favourite books," Rory explained taking the menu and scanning it. "Can I get a cheeseburger with barbeque sauce on the side?"

"Sure," Luke nodded. "Have you got something to send them?" he looked towards Lorelai.

"I have a little quilt I'm making for her, it's not finished yet owing to the earliness but I'll get it finished over the next couple of days. Are they sending pictures?"

"He said he would when Selena felt up to it. Don't worry you'll get your cute fill," he pushed Grace's chair in. "You got a new little cousin."

Grace shot him a beaming smile and the looked thoughtfully at Lorelai. "Mommy I send Hinny a present?"

"Why do you want to send Hinton a present?" Lorelai looked at her curiously.

"Little Dot will get lots of things and Hinny won't," Grace told her solemnly. "Can I send him stickers?"

"Sure Shortcake," Lorelai nodded. "I'm going to talk to Daddy for a second."

"Kay, Daddy can I have fishfingers please?" Grace looked up at him.

"Course you can," Luke smiled down at his youngest and then followed Lorelai round to the counter. She reached to grab a mug and he reached to take it from her "What have I said about just helping yourself?"

"You're still on about that." She rolled her eyes as he handed her the poured cup. "So I spoke to Anne. She spoke in words that I do not understand but long and the short I need..."

"You want to use the money your Dad left me?" He looked at her curiously eager to keep the shoptalk to a minimum.

"Would it be OK to borrow it? It's your money, it should be spent on things for the diner or I don't know a boat or something you really really want. I can pay you back with the income from the apartment building fairly quickly once the spa gets up and going but right now with all the construction."

"Of course you can." He gestured for her to move out from behind the counter. "You want the same as Rory?"

"No, I'll have the club sandwich, extra bacon." She bounced her hip. "Thank you"

"Course," he shrugged dismissively. He took a step towards the kitchen and then turned to look at her. "Don't call the baby Little Dot to Jess."

"Do I look like I was born yesterday? I'll call her Dorothy until they tell me otherwise. You are speaking to the girl whose name gets misspelled or changed into all kinds of things because it's unusual. Not that Dorothy is unusual. I got Laura Lee once. Nightmare"" she rolled her eyes. She reached to him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "No Little Dot, and I'll make sure the echo knows also. I'll give her an extra sheet of stickers."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mommy needs to finish this, I'll be in in a minute ask Daddy," she called in response to the knock on the door to her sewing room not looking up from the machine. She kept the speed steady and remained focused on the seam of the quilt she was making for the now here baby.

"Lorelai?"

She stopped mid seam and looked up in surprise. "Michel?"

"The bouncy twin told me you were out here," Michel stepped into the sewing room and looked at her uneasily.

"You can call them by their names you know. It wouldn't kill you," Lorelai turned away from her sewing. "Is everything OK?"

"It is fine. I wished to speak to you about Sookie."

Lorelai sighed and flopped her head forward her hair covering her face. She looked up slowly. "She's leaving Michel, there is nothing we can do about it. I mean plus side we can give all the kitchen staff permanent contracts rather then that crappy rolling one."

"I do not mean that, though yes that would be good." He looked towards the small couch. "May I sit?"

"You may," Lorelai gestured towards the couch. She waited for Michel to sit, trying to stop herself from smirking as he sat down with distaste and fiddled with his elegant wool coat. "What do you mean?"

"I was wondering if it was possible for me to buy Sookie? Her stake I mean. Her stake in the Inn" He looked at her nervously. "Frederick and I have spoken, we have capital available."

"You want to buy Sookie out?" Lorelai sat up. It surprised her more that she hadn't even thought about asking Michel rather than he was asking. She had worked with Michel for years. He was more qualified than she was and it wasn't as if he was short of funds. Frederick was a partner in a law firm that billed by the hundreds per hour. Michel could be a kept man if he wanted. "It would be a minority stake, we wouldn't be equal."

"I am aware, you will still get to veto but it would allow me some flexibility," Michel looked down at his hands. "Frederick and I have begun the adoption process. It takes stupidly long, approvals matching, a long time," he rolled his eyes. "Very invasive. Badly dressed people picking and poking and asking all kinds of questions."

"You wouldn't need the money for that?" Lorelai asked carefully.

"Frederick squirrels, we have the funds," Michel waved his hands. "It would look better, to be owner rather than employee. It would allow me flexibility with the process and then with the child when we get it. I have seen with you how difficult childcare can be." He looked down at his coat picking invisible motes of dust off the fabric. "We could promote some of the staff as well. Arielle, she is too good to work in that diner," he hissed diner with disgust.

"Hey! Watch it and yes I know. And James" Lorelai sat back. There was no career path in the inn. They lost more good people from them taking positions elsewhere. The ones that stayed did so because they had other commitments in town and were unable to move away. "So you wouldn't be general manager anymore?"

"I would be like you on an hourly salary as you do. I will get my money from the inns success as you do. I am on call but not always there. Arielle could be day manager; James could take Arielle's weekend position." He tipped his head thoughtfully. "Would you consent to selling to me?"

"I get final say on all decoration, both structural and holiday." Lorelai looked at him pointedly. "No just going off and doing what you want. You…"

"You would still own 60% of the inn I know, and I am not able to make structural changes without consent from the building owner," he gestured towards her. "You forget Lorelai I pay attention to these things. I know how the finances are structured. How the business is structured." He gave her a pointed look.

"You're not going to get your husband to screw me out of anything? You're not staging a coup?"

"No Coups," Michel assured her with a soft smile. "All screwing will be done against Sookie. Though I will not screw her, it would be like shooting the baby deer." He looked at her hopefully. "Do you consent?"

"I consent," Lorelai smiled, scrunching her shoulders in delight. "You've actually got me excited."

"I will be a pain in your behind."

"You have been since I have known you," Lorelai snorted in amusement. "I'll speak to the lawyers, get Frederick to email me his details and we'll get everything going."

Michel stood, seemingly hiding the fact that he wanted to smile. "Thank you Lorelai." He studied the fabric in the sewing machine. "What is that?"

"It's a quilt for Jess' new daughter Dorothy. I can make one for your little one when they arrive." She smiled happily at him.

"It will be a child or a toddler, not a baby."

"I'll make a bigger one."

Michel finally smiled and gently inclined his head. "I will have Frederick email you." He turned to leave.

"Michel," she called him back. He looked at her in mild annoyance until she held out her hand for him to shake. "Have a good evening. Partner."


	31. These Hallowed Halls

**AN - Thanks guys, I'm glad you like the Sookie Michel buyout idea. I'm trying to incorporate things that happened in AYITL but logically different with the divergent timeline. Also Michel leaving made Lorelai sad and so I'm trying to put a positive spin on it. There will be more to follow on this. As for Luke and Rory I always enjoyed Daddy Luke with Rory so anything I can shoehorn in I'm gonna :) Thank you so much for reading guys, I hope you enjoy this next one, there is a little bit of a blast from the past in it (Hey it's AYITL so cameos right :P). Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 31 – These Hallowed Halls**

"So shadowing?" Lorelai asked flopping back onto Rory's pillows while Rory stood rifling through her wardrobe. "And she leaves the week after next?"

"Yes," Rory nodded, glancing away from her clothes for a moment. "I'm going to be shadowing her classes and in her free periods going over her lesson plans, seeing the assignments she plans to set, that type of thing. She retires in two weeks and I use her plan through the end of the school year."

"You can make changes after that? Put your stamp on things?" Lorelai bounced forward to point at the wardrobe. "What about the black skirt?"

"It's too flouncy." Rory sighed. "They have a very strict dress code for the staff. No freedom of expression rules like with the universities. No denim. Think suits. Oh a smart dress with a blazer. I can take the blazer off. What about…" she pulled out a dress and held it out for Lorelai to assess.

Lorelai scanned the floral print dress, suitably smart but still youthful enough. "With the navy blazer."

"Yeah and…" Rory bent down and grabbed a pair of low-heeled court shoes. "These?"

"Perfect!" Lorelai nodded. "So are you just a substitute then? If you have to use her stuff."

"No," Rory shook her head, her lips pulling into an uncertain grimace, "the parents are given all the details, a week by week break down so I have to stick to that. I can wiggle but I can't change. Plus I'm still on probation until the end of the academic year anyway. I can make changes to the future curriculum, if they keep me on."

"He headhunted you Babe," Lorelai flexed her hands indicating that she wanted take a closer look at the clothes. She helped Rory lay the outfit out on the bed and studied it critically. "Jewellery box."

"Here," Rory scurried over to her dresser and returned with a small box.

Lorelai took it and rummaged through finally settled on a long chain with a leaf skeleton on the end. "This, with your silver stud earrings."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," Lorelai nodded emphatically "but we should get our budding fashionistas to have final say. You know if you want some more dresses I don't mind making them for you."

"Maybe," Rory muttered not looking up from her jewellery box. "I…maybe"

"I don't mind Babe. I wouldn't have offered if I did." Lorelai tipped her head her smile spreading cheekily across it. "Or are you ashamed of Moi?"

"What?" Rory looked up in alarm. "Of cour…Oh for…" she lifted a throw pillow from the bed and lobbed it at Lorelai. "Mom. I'm not good with judging tone right now."

"I know, I know. You're aim is fine though," Lorelai threw the cushion back. Rory caught it deftly. "Hey do those pills give you superpowers? Your sportsmanship is improving."

"Perhaps," Rory grinned at her. The pair of them looked towards the door as it creaked open. "Hey Grace," Rory called. The four year old skipped in and after a moment of silent study of the dress laid out on the bed trotted over to Rory's wardrobe. Rory glanced at Lorelai as Grace reached up and pulled a pale blue ¾ length sleeved cardigan from a pile. "Grace?"

Grace turned around and gave her a knowledgeable stare. "It might be too hot for jacket but too cold for no arms." She held up the cardigan. "Layers. Mommy always says layers."

"That I do Shortcake," Lorelai beckoned with her hands. Grace bounced over to the bed deposited the cardigan on the dress and then crawled up onto the bed alongside Lorelai. "We thought the leaf necklace and the stud earrings. You agree?"

"Hmm," Grace vocalised. "Need a bracelet Mommy," she tipped her head and then turned to look at Lorelai mildly accusingly. "Her dangly one you stole Mommy."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "I was borrowing it."

Grace mimicked her eye roll. "Mommy you're a klepotatoman."

"A what?" Lorelai asked as Rory snorted in amusement.

Grace rolled her eyes again. "I can't say it. But you is a magpie. You like shiny things. Michel said."

"Kleptomaniac," Rory deciphered. "And yes, Mom is a Magpie."

Lorelai gasped in mock shock and gestured at her two daughters. "With the ganging. I gave you life, you know."

"Yes," Grace nodded seriously. "But you still a..." she pointed at Rory for help.

"Kleptomaniac."

"I'm having words with that man." Lorelai shook her head. She smoothed her hand over Grace's hair. "How'd you find out what kleptomaniac means? It's a very big word."

"I looked it up in the dictionary," Grace bounced to the end of the bed and jumped down. "Rory, the second day, wear this," she pulled on the hem of a soft cream blouse, "and this," a brown plaid skirt "and these," she pointed to a pair of nude heels. "You'll look really pretty."

* * *

 **xXx**

If she'd felt bamboozled on her first day studying at Chilton, her first day working at Chilton was worse. Her meeting with the headmaster was cordial verging on jovial. Her first meeting with Sophie Zelner, the teacher she was replacing was interesting and inspiring but then she'd had a meeting with the head of department and the registrar. Now she sat pouring over a binder of photos and names. Her teachers had always seemed to know her name and she'd never thought anything of it. In reality, they had been drilled to remember. Parents pay for the familiarity. They expect you to know their little darling's name. So now she had a literal face book to familiarise herself with. Not only that but grade profiles and sample of previous work from each students so she could assess if there were improvements, slips or worst of all, plagiarism. Then she had the book list. She would be teaching 6 separate groups of students. Between now and the end of the school year they each had 3 or 4 books left to study. While some of them like Pride and Prejudice she could discuss until the world ended others she had not read since she had been in that class herself and others she hadn't read at all. She had nineteen books she needed to read or refamiliarise herself with, 6 in the next month if she was going to be able to lead discussions and mark assignments.

"Dr Gilmore."

Rory jumped at the familiar voice. She stared up in surprise at Max Medina. He smiled kindly down at her. Like the transference from student to staff this was also anechoes of two lives, one past the other an odd possibility. This man could have been her stepfather rather than Luke. "Mr Medina"

"Max please, hopefully as we're colleagues it's not weird now," he pointed at the chair opposite her "May I sit?"

"Sure," she pulled one of the binders she had been given to study over to free up a piece of tabletop. He sat and set down a plastic lunchbox. "It's lunchtime?" she whispered in surprised.

"Yes," he chuckled. "Don't worry all of us who are new have lost the hours learning from the book. There is an app now so you don't have to haul that around and in case you forget. I can set it up for you if you would like."

"Thank you that would be helpful," Rory closed the binder. "I didn't know you taught here still."

"I teach some AP class to the seniors, only two classes. I primarily teach at Hartford U." He smiled good-naturedly. "I read your theses on the Columbia Academic Commons, it's fascinating."

"Oh," Rory felt her cheeks bloom red. "Thank you. It…was interesting to write."

"The department is excited your joining us." He tipped his head. "Do you still write?"

"I try, I coedit a journal. I write the editorial for that. I toyed with adapting my thesis into a book but it seemed more of a vanity project. Especially as it's free online," she looked down at the reading list. "I've worked as a skills tutor so most of what I've been writing is how to write a good essay. Rather than writing a good essay or op-ed or anything like that."

"Any fiction? Your creative writing were always very good," Max tipped his head. Rory smiled weakly at him, she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn. "I'm sorry I won't say any more." Max smiled apologetically at her. "Other than to say. I am happy to have you here and if you need any help let me know."

"Thanks," Rory looked down at the book list again. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to take you up on that."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai repositioned the hard hat on her head, it was tight. Big head strikes again. The spa was a shell of concrete and wood, there was no glass, no windows and doors. Just a series of dark spaces with muddy and water covered concrete floors. Some of these spaces had the beginning of stud walls giving her a small overview of what her new business venture was going to look like. Right now she couldn't picture it. Tom was walking and talking and she realised she hadn't listened to any of it, which meant she would earn a withering stare if he actually asked her a question. She waited until Tom had been silently looking long enough at his clipboard before sauntering over. "Tom is it best for you to order the tile through you?"

Tom nodded. "It's always best to order through me. I can make sure you get enough. Nothing worse than not having enough. You got something in mind?" he looked up his pen poised.

"I'm circling on a few, just trying to decide final design you know," Lorelai cast a look around the space. "I'm currently thinking of a gold, dark brown kind of feel. Lush and expensive looking but also hides a multitude of sins you know. It looks good with red of the amaryllis."

"Yeah," Tom muttered not really sounding particularly interested. "You should get a rubberised floor for the gym," he continued to stare at his clipboard, "and for the changing room, something with grip. Those mostly come in white or off white. Not your colour scheme but better than being sued."

"I hear you," Lorelai nodded. "When do I need to have a final decision?"

"I'll let you know a few days before. It's not worth having too much on site too early, less chance of things getting broken." Tom took a few steps forward and knocked on a piece of stud work. "You gonna want wallpaper? Just thinking ahead for making sure I got the right trades you know."

"I think so," Lorelai nodded. She sighed heavily and shook her head. "It doesn't really look like anything right now. It's just so hard to visualise."

"Once the windows are in and the studs are plasterboarded it will be easier. Once all the electrics and plumbing are in then we can get to the decorating. Staircase arrives tomorrow."

"What's the bannister like?" Lorelai asked excitedly.

"Metal," Tom looked at her out of the top of his eye.s "Yeah you can slide down it but not when I'm here. And no being here next week."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Why not?"

"The windows are going in. I don't want you jump scaring my guys and making them drop a unit. It's all bespoke with a six week lead time. They break one it puts everything back. Lets get the building watertight. Also go easy on the nailgun OK?"

"But it's fun," Lorelai pouted.

Tom gave her a mildly exasperated look, but his eye had a slight twinkle that showed her he was enjoying the banter. "I'll give you a hunk of wood and you can go to town. Just stay away from the guys."

* * *

 **xXx**

When Friday evening rolled around Rory was so exhausted that she barely managed to climb out of the car. It was the type of exhaustion that comes from actually having to function for a full 10 hours and not just function, communicate. Something which felt so incredibly difficult considering she'd spent the best part of two months doing the complete opposite. It wasn't a bad exhausted, part of her brain was excited about what she had done this week, what she would do next week. It was daunting and she had a lot of work to do over the weekend but at least it felt like it was worth it. The other part was writhing in fear and self doubt. She was trying to ignore that part.

When she didn't move immediately Gigi came round to the driver side of the car. "Mom?"

"I'm trying to get my feet to work. They've forgotten how," Rory told her, swivelling in her seat but not getting up.

"That's physically impossible, unless you have nerve damage," Gigi told her, with a smile she held out her hands. "I can go get you a wheelchair though. And maybe we should get Dad to drive."

Rory took Gigi's hands and let Gigi half pull her from the car. "I think good idea."

"That is a," Gigi elbowed her lightly as she filled in the blanks of Rory's last sentence. "Dad should really drive." She pulled Rory's arm around her shoulder and together they slowly made their way to the back of the car. "We don't have to go to Grandma Emily's straight do we? I'm still in my uniform."

"We're not going at all. Grandma has a function," Rory pulled her arm away from Gigi's shoulder and moved to the trunk. She opened it and pulled out a tote bag. "I figured we'd eat out, just us 3. So." She held the tote out to Gigi. "I forgot shoes."

"You bought me clothes!" Gigi grabbed the bag and grinned as she peered in. "Where are we going to eat?"

"See what takes everyone's fancy." Rory closed the trunk. Gigi almost immediately took her arm back and pulled it around her shoulder. Rory smiled to herself and together they slowly made their way across the parking lot and towards the arrivals hall. According to the flight board, Spencer's flight had landed 2 minutes ago. "Go change, Dad will be a little while," Rory pushed Gigi towards the bathrooms and then positioned herself in a visible spot so both Spencer and Gigi could see her, depending on who exited first. Gigi returned first, hastily shoving her green uniform into the tote bag. She dumped the bag at Rory's feet and then pulled her blonde hair out of the thick French braid she had been wearing. Her hair poofed around her, wavy from the braid. Rory silently turned her and then when Gigi's back was to her she set about scooping Gigi's hair into a messy on purpose top knot.

"Hairdressing in the middle of the airport?"

Both of them turned to look at Spencer who stood rumpled and laden with his laptop and case. Gigi remained still long enough for Rory to finish fixing the hair tie in place. The moment her fingers left Gigi's scalp Gigi bounced over the bag containing her uniform and threw her arms around Spencer's neck. Rory let them have their moment, waiting until Gigi let go before she stepped forward. "It's hair styling not hairdressing. No sharps."

"My mistake," Spencer smiled warmly at her. He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss "Hey. Good week?"

"You have to drive," Gigi answered for her. "She's tired, but no Friday Night Dinner so we're going to have our own family dinner."

Spencer absorbed the information and then very slowly put his arm around Rory's waist. "A family dinner?"

"Yeah. Gives everyone…you know," Rory shrugged. "Gigi Sweets get your clothes."

The family walked slowly back over to the parking lot, Rory paid the parking ticket and by the time she got back to the car Spencer was sat in the driving seat poking at the sat nav. She sank gratefully into the passenger seat. "Do we have a destination?"

Gigi leaned forward excitedly between the two front seats. "Applebees. I'm getting Fiesta Lime Chicken."

"There's an Applebees?" Rory glanced at Spencer.

"New Britain," He nodded at the satnav. "Figured we'd restart a family tradition."

"It was a tradition?" Rory looked at him curiously.

"Yeah," Gigi voiced from the backseat. "We would do it once a month after we went book shopping. Tradition is something that you do over and over. We should go book shopping too."

"When we're in Stars Hollow we support Andrew, no Barnes and Noble unless he really can't get it. Plus there's the library."

"Does it have anything printed this millennium?" Gigi shot her a pointed look.

" _Harry Potter, The Hunger Games_ and _Fifty Shades of Grey_ ," Rory smirked.

Spencer looked surprised. "They stock that in the library?"

"Mom still has the video from the town meeting. It was like the Battle of Rorke's Drift," Rory sank back into her chair. "Miss Patty's plea for the books was _very_ passionate. Though she probably won because we're pretty sure that Taylor is into some kinky stuff. Mrs Kim was allowed to post leaflets as a consolation prize. Taylor hates leaflets it creates mess. So it was a big win for her."

Spencer nodded in understanding and backed the car out of the space.

"You'd think Mrs Kim would have more issue with the government killing children in _The Hunger Games_ then two consenting adults doing kinky stuff to each other. Or _Harry Potter_ because of the whole witch and wizard thing," Gigi sat back, while Spencer guided the car to the barrier. "I mean that is the prequel I want to read, what did the districts do that was so bad that the Capitol was like 'hey we're going to murder your kids on live tv'."

"Good point," Rory nodded. "Don't read _Unwind_."

"What's _Unwind,_ " Gigi sat forward excitedly.

"The scariest book I've ever read," Rory sighed. "It April's, probably still in the library at home."

"You know I'm going to read it now right?" Gigi sat back and checked her belt. "Can we get the Triple Chocolate Meltdown for dessert?"

"To share because if you have Fiesta Lime Chicken and that to yourself you will explode," Spencer counselled. "And as it's triple there's some for all of us."

"But I get most of it," Gigi grinned cheekily.

Rory turned around to look at her. "You'll have to fight me for it."

* * *

 **xXx**

"You know its good you're here Spencer," Willow told him on Saturday morning as she pulled him towards the back of Stars Hollows small library. "You can reach the books on the top shelf." She paused, released his hand and moved over to the shelves. "I'll have a look and let you know."

"Sure," Spencer nodded, he glanced around him trying to find the rest of the group in the dark cramped space, Gigi had vanished and so had Rory. He looked down at Grace who stood staring up at him. "You OK?"

"Yup," Grace gave him a curt nod. "You got my card?"

"Your library card? No Rory has it, but we don…" Grace pivoted and stalked away from him. He followed her as she moved like a heat seeking missile through the shelves until she reached Rory, somehow inexplicably knowing where she was. Rory was crouched working her way through a shelf, clearly looking for something. "Grace wants her card."

"Ok, but don't lose it," Rory fumbled in her pocket without looking up. She held out the library cards and Grace took hers and scampered off again. "They've changed the system again," Rory sighed. "Why can't the just use the Dewey decimal system, or call numbers or something that is logical and not whatever this is?" she gestured angrily at the shelf.

"Come on," Spencer held out his hand. "Let's just go ask where the books you need are."

"Yeah. You know I used to find this fun. It was an adventure. Hunt the book. I'd find all sorts of things I didn't know I wanted to read. Now…" Rory took his hand and allowed him to pull her upright.

Spencer tipped his head trying to think of the best jokey way of saying loss of whimsy due to age. Rory was not getting subtlety in jokes right now, nor was he going to point out that it was probably down to her mental health. Rory glanced at him and then elbowed him in his stomach. "What?"

"You're cute and nice," she told him pulling him towards the desk. "Hi," she greeted the library assistant, a young teenager who she didn't recognise. "I need these." She held out a list which the boy took and he dove into the computer scribbling away as he found each of the books she needed. "Did you see where Gigi went?"

"No," Spencer took a step back and peered through the shelves, he could see Willow where he'd left her in what he assumed was the children's section, Grace was stood peering into a book that looked far too old for her but no Gigi.

"She's probably found a nook," Rory glanced towards the mezzanine floor. "There are plenty up there. This place is a complete Tardis."

"She went upstairs." The library assistant told her handing back her list. "The pre… the other girl. We've got magazines upstairs."

"You want me to go get her?" Spencer asked peering upstairs to see if he could spot the teen.

"No," Rory looked at the list. "Let her have her time. This place is special, even if the books are shelved oddly. What is the system currently?"

The teenager let out a sigh of world-weary exasperation. "Publisher then alphabetical by author, she has at least kept it, children's books, fiction and non fiction. I think we're changing back to just straight alphabetical for fiction in a couple of week."

"See special," Rory smiled at him. "Thank you."

Spencer took the list from her and studied the no rhyme or reason locations of the books she needed. Grace appeared alongside him and took his hand. "You OK?"

"Need your arms," the small child mumbled tugging him back towards the children's section.

* * *

 **xXx**

"So, why did she want to meet here and not at home?" Lorelai asked as she brought a stack of used plates to the counter. "Plus Mom is coming and no offense Hun but she's not a big fan of the diner. Or any diner."

Luke shrugged, April had sounded breathy on the phone, excited and effervescent, it was a long time since she'd sounded like that, so he would have given in to anything she wanted to do to keep that excitement in her voice. Though, he would have given in to anything she wanted to do regardless.

"You know you need to ask questions Hun," Lorelai gave him a mildly disapproving look. "I need details. I mean what are we walking in to. Or they walking in to. Do I need to prepare? I need to know these things. You would be useless as an assistant. Most certainly no Moneypenny. I would definitely not be yelling Margret."

"I don't know who that is. We'll find out when they get here," Luke shrugged again. "She just asked that we be here but not the kids. She wanted breakfast with you, Emily and me. I've done as I've been asked. Easiest thing to do with any of the women in my life. Just do what I've been asked and go with the flow."

"When have you ever gone with the flow?" Lorelai sniggered. "You constantly battle upstream!"

"No I'm in a tidal estuary, I just try and not get drowned by whatever specific ship is trying to run me down," Luke turned as Cesar announced an order. "Which table is this? Cesar?" He let out a growl as Cesar pointedly ignore him. "Selective deafness. What even is this?" He turned and held the plates out for Lorelai to look at. "Is that an omelette or scrambled eggs?"

Lorelai peered at the plate "Scrambled eggs with Jack. That is pancakes," she pointed at the other dish.

"I know that is pancakes," Luke rolled his eyes. "I just got to figure out who it belongs to," he glanced around the diner. There were three possibilities.

"Table 4," Lorelai pointed to one of them, a table in the middle of the diner. "Table 6 both ordered pancakes," she pointed to a table in the window. "And they ordered bacon sandwiches or bagels, some bread type thing," she pointed to the final table. She gave a playful shrug. "That's Table 12. I told you you should number your tables."

"When did you tell me that?" Luke marched the plates over to the table she had indicated. Clearly she was right because the couple sat at the table gladly accepted the food. He turned around, Lorelai had deposited herself on a counter stool and was sat grinning at him. "What?"

"I like watching you get all stressed." She scrunched up her nose. "I'm weird."

"You're realising this only now." Luke marched back to the counter. With a sigh he grabbed a large mug and set it in front of her. Once he had poured a portion of coffee. "No snacking, we're eating when she gets here."

"I'm having pancakes so there better be some mix left over. And bacon and sausage."

"Are you singlehandedly trying to keep the pig farming industry going?" Luke shook his head in amusement.

"Me and the Canadians. Can you do maple bacon?" Lorelai looked at him hopefully.

"No. You don't need to put sugar on bacon and if you're having pancakes you'll just smother it in maple syrup anyhow." Luke shook his head again. A familiar pair appeared walking along the sidewalk and he smiled. April looked ecstatic, a wide smile on her face one almost equalled by Emily who wore a happy proud smile that she usually saw directed at the younger kids.

"Wrong sweater," Lorelai mumbled and jumped out of her seat.

"What?" Luke stared at her blankly.

Lorelai scurried towards the door of the diner. "She's wearing the wrong sweater."

Luke followed her completely confused by what Lorelai was talking about. "Who is?"

Lorelai threw open the door as April stepped up to the door and raised her finger accusingly. "Wrong sweater?" She pointed at April's chest. "Or is it now right sweater?"

Luke stared at April's sweater trying to comprehend what the hell Lorelai was going on about. It was navy with white writing on. April nodded and Lorelai let out an ecstatic scream and threw her arms around April's neck, the pair of them nearly falling backwards off the step. "Wrong sweat…" Luke's eyes widened as he realised what was happening, realising what the words actually were. He cleared the space between the door and his wife and daughter in two large strides. "You got into Yale for Grad school?"

"I got into Yale!" April beamed at him, she tried to take a step away from Lorelai but she was still hugging her too tightly. "School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Doctoral Program."

"That's…That's Great!" Luke put his hand on Lorelai's shoulder. Lorelai finally let go of April and allowed him to step in and hug his daughter. "That's so great!"

"Thanks," April hugged him warmly. She took a step back to bring Emily into the conversation. "And not only that but Grandma has put in an offer on a condo for me."

"It's a 2 bed, 5 minutes walk away from the campus," Emily interjected. "Suitable for a Yale postgraduate student and close enough that various parties don't worry about her getting home from late night study sessions or other activities that us older then time shouldn't know about." She gave April an indulgent smile. "Our girl's a Yalie! Not that MIT isn't a fine institution but, and dear god I can't believe I'm paraphrasing that awful woman, we are Yale people."

"Well that's better than mole people," Lorelai scrunched her nose up in amusement. "So pancakes to celebrate?"

"Pancakes to celebrate." April nodded. "Big Red?"

"All reserved and ready," Lorelai fluttered her hands towards the diner.

Emily stepped in leaving the three of them stood on the sidewalk outside. Luke looked at his daughter and grinned at her. "I'm really …" he fumbled for the right word.

"You were proud of me anyway," April swiped at him happily. She wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him. "Who's the awful woman that Grandma was talking about?"

"My Grandma, she wanted Rory to be a Yale Man back when she wanted to be a Harvard Gal." Lorelai gave a half shrug that gave off an air of being mildly annoyed. She stepped up to go into the diner and then changed her mind pivoting to look at him. "This calls for not only pancakes but chocolate chip pancakes and whipped cream and…"

"I am not caramelising bacon," Luke interrupted her tiredly.

"So I can have whipped cream?" Lorelai quirked her eyebrows up and then spun to enter the diner triumphantly.

"Face it Dad," April muttered as she leaned into his side. "You are never going to win that battle."

"I know," Luke nodded. He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm glad you're happy Apes."

She smiled back at him as she went into the diner. "Thanks Dad."

"Do you want chocolate chips?" he asked following her into the diner and closing the door.

"Blueberry?"

"Blueberry pancakes for the future Dr Nardini-Danes," Luke kissed her crown. "Coming right up."


	32. Ch Ch Ch Changes

**AN - Thanks guys, there will be more 'cameos' some more substantive than others. I've rejiged the Logan one, he was going to appear earlier but now it's near the end but no worries, no golf balls, tango clubs or New England Inns involved, at least not with them. Anna will reappear. I'm glad you like Grace, I kind of think with her there is a little bit of a redux of the ROry Lorelai relationship because for alot of the day it's just Lorelai and Grace as a pair except with Grace no desperate need to please that Rory had, but maybe that's just me. Anyhoo, thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think x.**

* * *

 **Chapter 32 - Ch Ch Ch Changes**

"Ugh," Rory flopped into the chair, the pile of books and papers collapsed across the table. She stared at them balefully, as if wishing them to restack themselves neatly.

"Long day Babe?" Lorelai asked. Without being prompted, she poured Rory a mug of coffee and walked it over. Carefully she pushed the papers out of the way and set the mug down.

"The day is fine if I didn't have the commute tacked on the end. I forgot how much of a drag it is to hoof it back and fro from Hartford every day." Rory half-heartedly collected her papers.

Lorelai smirked in amusement. "Hoof it? But that doesn't go with your outfit at all." She raised her eyebrows knowingly. "Or is this your opener?"

"What?" Rory looked alarmed.

"You forget, bat ears and that I must always at all times know what is going on, especially with my babies," Lorelai placed her hand on her chest. "You know I have serious FOMO."

"Mom!" Rory winced at the acronym. "You heard my conversation with Spencer."

"You mean the 3 last weekend and the 2 phonecalls. No, not at all," Lorelai shook her head and then seeing that Rory wasn't touching the coffee took the mug and took a long drawn out sip all the while staring at Rory over the rim. She was heartened to see that the new job one which actually seemed to inspire Rory was helping her out of her quagmire. Even though Rory was exhausted she was functioning at a much higher level then she had been at the beginning of the year. "If you guys think it's what is best for you then that is what you should do."

"I'm in two minds," Rory told her. Rory's shoulders sagged and she looked nervously at her. "I hate the commute but it's really nice not having to worry about cleaning and cooking."

"You're welcome."

"But we're taking up so much space and Gigi's living out of boxes, in a room that's only meant to… I just think it would be better for us all," Rory looked down nervously at her hand.

"First off you are not taking up space, but I get where you are coming from. So compromise?" Lorelai tilted her head and set the coffee mug down allowing Rory to take it. "Maybe for the next couple months move into the spare apartment I'll have on Plum. My tenants are moving out next week because they are getting on the property ladder. The apartments a two bed so Gigi gets her own space. No rent, just bills. Find your feet. That way you are not wasting money, you are not all the way in Hartford over the holidays, and you can think about what you want in your new pad. Plus Spencer might have a better idea of what is happening with his work."

"Mom," Rory held the mug but didn't drink it. "That's…it's…"

"A suggestion," Lorelai told her softly, "and only if you want to because I am perfectly happy for you to stay here for eternity. I need to let my apron strings go slowly OK? Now," she stood up and pushed the papers into a pile. "I would hide those books from your sisters because they will steal them."

"Yeah," Rory muttered distractedly. The coffee mug remained on her lap. With a sigh Lorelai leaned over and teased it from her hands. "Hey!"

"Are you drinking it?"

"No."

"Then no point in wasting it," Lorelai drained the mug. "Snooze you lose Babe. You know this."

* * *

 **xXx**

April stumbled into the foyer of the house with a growl she regretted almost immediately. Emily stood in the atrium arranging the flowers in the centre table. The bright yellow blooms nearly hid her Grandma from view but clearly her demeanour had rung alarm bells because Emily shot round the side of the circular table leaving the unplaced flowers on a damp towel.

"Are you alright?" Emily asked rushing to take her bag and jacket.

"Yeah," April nodded earnestly. "Just long day and I ended up getting a milk bath," she gestured to her stained and mildly crispy uniform. She had been doused in hot milk when one of her colleagues had banged into her. Fortunately, the apron had taken the worst, she hadn't been injured but she'd been wearing the milk splattered uniform for 5 hours and it felt like milk was in every pore. "I just really want a shower."

"Of course," Emily placed the jacket over her arms. Her eyes danced over April, taking her all in.

April waited, she'd learnt the cues with her grandmother, when her eyes roved she was about to start a conversation but was considering the proper way to begin in. After a moment in which Emily seemed to change her mind April took initiative. "Did you have a good day Grandma?" she asked trying to goad the conversation out of Emily.

"I went to the florist," Emily gestured at the unfinished display, "and I…well…How much notice do you have to give at the…" she pointed at the logo on the milkstained top.

"Two weeks."

"Excellent!" Emily bounced on her toes. "Next to the florist is my travel agent and I went and picked up a few brochures." She handed April back her bag and jacket and scurried over to the other table returning moments later with a stack of brochures. "I thought perhaps in celebration of you getting into Yale and before you actually have to go, that maybe we could go on a little adventure. You said you wanted to see the Alaskan Glaciers. Well there are several ways of doing it, a cruise, which I'm not overly keen on because being stuck on a boat for seven days with a bunch of tourists is not my idea of fun. How do we escape? Or there are day cruises, which you could do by yourself because the boats look ridiculously small and I'm sorry but frozen water is not my idea of entertaining. But we could fly in, have a little adventure and then I thought fly down to Hawaii, then the Grand Canyon and then back up to the lakehouse for our family holiday. And then when we get back we get you ready for school."

"Grandma," April whispered carefully. "That's…"

"About four weeks in all, including the lakehouse," Emily flipped through the brochures without really looking at them. "I thought perhaps tonight we could look through, plan what we wanted to do and then I could get it all booked."

"Grandma, it's very generous…"

Emily shot her a wounded look. "If the only reason you don't want to do this is money then stop talking right this second. I stole your adventure year from you. I would like to give you that back, and if it plays on your good nature with a nice dollop of manipulation, which I know Lorelai has warned you about, I would very like to get out of the house for a bit. So please let me get out of the house by spoiling my Granddaughter who has given up her time to take care of me." Her smiled softly and then looked at the brochures more carefully. "I'm not saying we have to spend time together for all of it. If there is something you want to go and do by yourself then I want you to do it…"

"Grandma I would love to go with you," April told her softly, the places that Emily were talking about where some of her top places she wanted to visit in the United States. "I just…"

"No justs!" Emily held the brochures out forcefully. "Take a look and pick. Let's go on an adventure."

* * *

 **xXx**

"You must sign there," Michel insistently taping on the contract that Sookie was busy signing every other page of a contract.

"Michel," Sookie hissed. "Stop…"

"She sees Michel," Lorelai soothed. The great signing of the stake as Michel had dubbed it was taking place in the dining room of the Dragonfly. Sookie had arrived tearful and carrying baked goods, the definite end of the eleven and a half year adventure they had taken finally hitting her, even after a year of non-involvement. Lorelai felt it too and while she should have found Michel's excitement endearing it frustrated her because she wanted to mourn the end of an era. It would be the first time she had no work connection with Sookie in almost 25 years. The thought of officially no Sookie was a punch in the gut.

"Pink is Lorelai right?" Sookie asked nervously looking up from the document, the multiple orange tabs indicating where she needed to sign.

Lorelai sat up. Somewhere in the banking system wending it's way from Michel's account to Sookie's was a large chunk of money; the signing of this last paperwork was the final death knell. She rose to her feet and crossed to the table. She had read the contract several times over the last few days. With one quick signature, she signed that she agreed to the terms of the purchase and then just like that the ownership of the Dragonfly Inn was no longer Lorelai Gilmore-Danes and Sookie Bellville St. James it was Lorelai Gilmore-Danes and Michel Gerard.

She took a step back, her eyes were stinging and the last thing she wanted to do was cry. Michel seized the contract gleefully and then pivoted to hand it to Frederick who stood behind him. Lorelai was unsure what to do next, Sookie looked one second away from a full blow cry fest. Jackson stood helplessly and Michel and his husband were having a whispered conversation. She wished she'd asked Luke to come, he'd offered but she hadn't thought she would need him. She was a dumbass sometimes who other than Luke could make this horrible pit in her stomach go away.

"We are not done," Michel announced loudly and practically skipped out of the room.

"What else is there?" Sookie burbled looking alarmed.

Michel reappeared answering her question. He was laden with two exquisitely wrapped boxes and two bunches of flowers. He carefully set the pile on the table and took a bunch of flowers and the top box and handed it to Sookie with a swift kiss on each cheek. He didn't wait for her to thank him instead collecting the second box and bringing it over to Lorelai. "It is for here. You are a danger to it enough, all those children, it might get ruined," he told her in an air that was more nervous than angry French man.

Lorelai sat back down in her seat and carefully undid the wrapping of the box.

"Oh MICHEL!" Sookie squealed, bursting into tears and throwing herself at him.

Lorelai watched them for a moment before returning to her own box. She opened the thick white lid and lifted a piece of turquoise tissue paper to reveal a hand-blown glass vase, swirls of red glass that matched the Inn's décor perfectly. In the middle of the vase was a glass dragonfly in golds and yellows. She pushed her thumb into her eye to stop herself crying.

"Do you like it?" Michel asked softly having managed to extricate himself from Sookie who was now mauling Frederick.

"It's beautiful," Lorelai whispered unable to take her eyes away from the gift. "Thank you."

"I wanted to mark the occasion," Michel told her softly, he gave her a mildly impish grin, "you are stuck with me now."

"I've been stuck with you since I met you," Lorelai held out her hands to invite him in for a grateful peck on the cheek. "I didn't get you anything."

"I did not need anything," Michel straightened up paying very special attention to the cuff of his suit jacket. "Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to." Lorelai assured him, she smiled and placed her hand on his forearm. "Thank you."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So this entire block is Glama's?" Gigi asked following Rory up the staircase to the top floor apartment.

"Yeah," Rory fumbled with the keys as she walked to apartment 6. She opened the lock and pushed open the dark wood door. In front of her lay an open plan living space, the kitchen partitioned off by a counter. The walls were a pale cream and the wood floors stained dark. It had an old fashioned feel to it like she should expect chintz armchairs with lace doily clothes on the back and teacups and saucers. It was also perfect for a bit of tsundoku. She let Gigi go in and the pair slowly walked across the floor. There were two dormer windows facing onto the street big enough to let light in but not cook the apartment. Off the living space was a small hallway which confusingly had four doors.

"Separate bathrooms?" Gigi speculated hopefully.

They opened the doors on either side to reveal a bathroom on one and a bedroom on the other. The door next to the bathroom was the other bedroom, smaller than the first but still bigger than what Gigi was currently in now. The pair looked at each other and then tentatively at the final door. There was a step up to it and Rory reached over it to turn the handle. The door didn't open.

"Mystery door," Gigi bounced alongside her. "Is there a key?"

"I think, this maybe?" Rory fiddled with the keys, the building front door, apartment front door, bin store, post box, garage and one other that had a red r written on the side. "R for Roof?"

"Maybe it's a fire escape," Gigi mused. The teen made a scoffing sound. "That's pretty dumb though. Oh my house is burning down and I must find the key to the …" she trailed off as Rory opened the door. "Cool!"

Beyond the step was a small flat roof space surrounded by the sloping roof at the back and a waist height wall at the front of the building. Someone had cemented planters to the 3 and a half foot wall.

"Cool!" Gigi repeated, pushing past Rory to go outside. "A garden, kinda. We could sit out here. Put fairy lights and people watch."

"Does that mean you want to move here?" Rory asked carefully. She had in her my-mind-is-still-not-functioning-properly way, half explained to Gigi why they were looking at the apartment on Plum. Gigi looked thoughtful for a moment tipping her head as she peered back into the apartment. "It was just…"

"I think if you think your OK we should," Gigi interrupted. "As much as I love being with everyone it's everyone all the time. I love them and everything but sometimes it's… you know. We've been there for a couple of months. I'm sure Pops would like to have leftovers again so Glama stops ordering pizza, he gets antsy over her eating too much of it." She turned and surveyed the outside space "I love them but I love us. And then we wouldn't have to share so much."

Rory swallowed. "You mean me and Mom?"

"You and Glama, and when Dad comes up we have to share him with the others. We get pulled into childcare and…I love them but…"

"You like it when it's just us," Rory finished. She turned back and reviewed the space. It was small but it was enough for two people full time, three people part time. It was on the top floor so they didn't have to worry about noisy neighbours too much and if she needed them, Luke and Lorelai were only five minutes away. "It would be temporary."

"I know," Gigi pushed past her to look in the smaller of the bedrooms. "Until we can get our proper house together when we know what Dad is doing. But it's a nice temporary, look," she pointed at a shelfing unit built into the walls. "Space for books, it was made for us."

"I…I guess." Rory stared at the shelves.

"Maybe sleep on it," Gigi sounded impossibly mature. "Do a pro con list."

Rory nodded, she'd already done one at least with practical and logical reasons, the viewing was the last step. The list had swung for pro and there was nothing in the apartment that shrieked con at her. She sighed. It was never going to be easy, but this was a good first step.

"Come on Mom. We need to get going, you need to pick your dress up from the cleaner and they shut in fifteen minutes," Gigi peered at her phone screen. "And we need to get you new lipstick that goes."

"What happened to my other lipstick?"

Gigi looked away from her phone guiltily. "I um…borrowed it, but, it got smushed."

* * *

 **xXx**

"So where is Rory tonight?"

Lorelai looked up from encouraging Willow to eat the newest creation that Berta had presented them tonight. It was the second time that Emily had asked this question, the answer hadn't changed in twenty minutes. "At a party Mom, like I said."

"I know what you said but is a party really a good enough excuse to miss a family function," Emily snipped as she tapped at her own plate.

Lorelai sighed in frustration and glanced at April for help. If anyone could figure out what the mood was for she could. April inclined her head backwards towards the table by the piano, there was a neat stack of magazines. Lorelai furrowed her brow to show that she didn't understand. "Rory's friend Lane is having an event for work an album launch party. When Rory was still in her hermitage Lane made Rory promise that the next event she threw that Rory would go to. So, she's going." Lorelai told Emily while April mouthed something at her. Lorelai shook her head imperceptibly still unable to figure out what April was trying to tell her.

"Holiday," Grace suddenly sounded beside her.

"Pardon?" Emily looked at her youngest grandchild.

"Grandma wants to take me on holiday." Willow sounded from the other side of Lorelai. "That's what April's trying to tell you Mommy and I think the last bit was something about a travel agent."

"Dumb," Grace nodded earnestly.

Willow made a trill of understanding. "Why is the travel agent dumb Grandma?"

Lorelai resisted the urge to sink against the glowering look that her mother shot her.

"Is my demeanour bothering you Lorelai?" Emily snapped.

"It's just unusual and you've asked like five times about Rory and I wanted to check that it was anger and not something else," Lorelai said carefully, she added a dramatic wince to show Emily she was sorry for how it sounded hoping to cut any kind of barb off at the pass.

"Well, Rory should be here it is family dinner. Especially when Luke is here. I enjoy everyone's company," Emily scowled. With a sigh she sat back in her chair "But I suppose it is good that she is getting out more than just work," she glanced in the general direction of the piano. "I've had a very trying day. Henry my usual travel agent has left so I had to deal with this horribly dippy girl who simply could not do what I wanted done."

"You just can't get the held these days," Lorelai offered in appeasement.

"No Indeed," Emily shook her head in disgust "It's her job to fulfil my requirements and if it is going to take longer to get what I want do not leave me on hold."

Lorelai shook her head in exaggerated disgust. "She left you on hold!"

"For twenty five minutes!" Emily hissed venomously.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Luke ventured tentatively into the conversation. "What holiday?"

"Can we come?" Kitty asked curiously.

"No dear," Emily patted her hand. "This is a treat to April, a Thank you for living here with me."

"Living here with you," Kitty leaned over her plate to peer at April. "I woulda lived here if it meant getting a holiday."

"Kits," Luke pulled her back into her seat. "It's more than that."

"I know," Kitty told him darkly. "I'm not a little kid Daddy I know Grandma was sad and April helped her not to be sad, but Grandma said living here."

"She was being discrete," Lorelai told her and gestured down at her own plate to indicate to Kitty to eat her own food.

"People should just say what they mean," Kitty rebuked, resting her head on her hand.

"Elbow Kitty," Emily chastised her lightly. "And you're right I should say what I mean. Luke I am taking April away to give her the adventure she lost by moving in with me. If you would prefer you could go in my place. A little father daughter time."

"What?" Lorelai, Luke and April said at the same time.

"Yes," Emily nodded to herself. "Perhaps the Arizona portion, then that removes the hotel conundrum and you can do that Grand Canyon camping that you wanted to do. What do you think April? We can do Alaska and Hawaii together and then you can meet up with your father to do that."

"I…" April glanced at Luke and then Lorelai. "If Dad wanted to I would like that."

Luke burbled. "I mean…I…"

"Twelve shades of red," Lorelai snorted in amusement. "Nice going Mom. As long as it doesn't coincide for anything performancy," she gestured vaguely at the kids. "I think you should go. Do the sporty communing with nature thing that you like."

"I don't commune with nature," Luke scowled. "It's just fishing and hiking and camping and stuff."

"Which is in nature," Lorelai rolled her eyes and then shook her head. "All things that should definitely not be considered leisure past times."

"Quite," Emily nodded. "So is that a yes?"

"If the dates work then yes," Luke smiled nervously at Emily.

"Well wonderful. I shall talk to the dippy girl tomorrow and get it sorted. And it won't coincide with any of the children's performances. I am not missing those. We're leaving the day after Kitty's gymnastic show," Emily's eyebrows rose. "Do you know if the school and the gymnastics school will be making official videos?"

"I don't think so," Lorelai shook her head. "I can ask."

"Good." Emily nodded definitively. "If they aren't I shall need the person to talk to so I can arrange the film crew."

"Mom!" Lorelai gasped, memories of her graduation flooded her memories. "Not Raul!"

"Who?" Emily glanced at her. Flickers of recognition passed across her face and she grimaced and pushed her dish away. "Well thank you for reminding me about that disgusting movie. No not Raul. It's a professional service. Your father used to send them the footage he took and they would edit it into something watchable. We have a full archive of all of the children's performances." Her face dropped.

Lorelai bit her lip, knowing that the sudden shift was down to her Mom's use of we. So used to using the plural pronoun that she was unable to break a fifty year habit even though it caused her pain.

"We do?" Sam interjected. "Like all the plays and tumble tots and everything. Birthdays?"

"Not birthdays but yes your gymnastics too," Emily told him quietly.

"Cool!" Willow smiled at Emily. "We have an archive of us. That's really cool. I'm adding archivist to my list."

"List of what?" Emily asked softly.

"Jobs," Willow finally started to eat. "I want to be a nurse and an archivist and a midwife and a writer and a librarian maybe a teacher and also a fashion designer."

Lorelai smiled down at her children as they continued to draw there Grandma into a meandering conversation about jobs they might hold in the future and the recordings that Emily held somewhere in the house, helping to change the 'we' from referring to Emily and Richard to 'we' referring to the family as a whole.

* * *

 **xXx**

If it were possible to force herself into concrete, she would do it. The party was full of people who knew each other loudly falling over themselves to be noticed, their volume increasing as they got more and more alcohol and a good many other things were imbibed. Lane would periodically checking on her, but was working so was minding about fourteen different other things. Rory was taking that she was actually out past 8.30 at night as a win but it was a hideous one. She just wanted to be at home, and that was causing her mind to spin and she could tell she was beginning to beat herself up about. She exhaled slowly, hoping to calm herself. It wasn't as if she was a party animal before she'd descended into the seemingly bottomless well of mental illness. Her idea of fun had always been curled up with a good book or watching a movie.

"I wouldn't mind so much if they actually played."

"Sorry?" Rory glanced at the man who had moved to the wall.

"I know it's half networking but it's been over an hour," He took a sip of his beer. "They are supposed to play but everyone is too busy getting tanked. Who are you with?"

"Lane Van Gerbig, she's with the label, she's my oldest friend. Sorry I'm not any help with the networking." Rory smiled weakly, she had the sinking suspicion she was being hit on. "My husband was supposed to be coming but his flight was delayed."

The man gave her a smile that read 'duly noted',but he didn't move so Rory supposed he saw her as a kindred spirit, stuck in party hell. "You know her from school?"

"We met first day of kindergarten," Rory smiled softly and stared out at the room to see if she could spot her friend. "So you are with the label?"

"No, well an associate I suppose. We provided the writer who did the copy for the various format inserts," he sighed heavily. "What do you do?"

"I'm a Teacher, well just…I used to be an academic skills tutor."

"Isn't that teaching?" he gave her a sideways look.

"I suppose," Rory looked down at her drink. "I was always into books, which waswhy I ended up doing a phd in English, there just aren't many positions. So now I teach High School." She took a tentative sip of her drink. It was soda but for some reason it seemed to be freeing her tongue worse than 3 tequilas.

He nodded in agreement, his lips pressed together in thought. "What in? Your PhD?"

"Comparative literature and linguistics, specialising in the evolution of women's literature," Rory reeled off tiredly.

He nodded again and then he fumbled for his pocket. "Do you write?"

"Sorry?"

"Do you write?" he repeated, patting down his pockets as he looked for something.

"Editorials for journals, but nothing else really. I used to all the time." She sighed self-deprecatingly and gave him a weak smile. "Adulting."

He snorted in amusement and finally found what he was looking for. Business cards. Rory stared at them, surprised by the seemingly archaic form of identity. He held one out to her introducing himself Sebastian Gerding, Literary Agent. She took the card and stared at him as he fumbled for a pen. "We do a lot with the label parent in general on liner notes. Sometimes for the classical or experimental we need more esoteric notes written. You know a Lute album inspired by some play or poem." He found his pen. "Why don't you email me your details and a few samples of your work. Send me a wide sample, you never know we could have a use for you." He looked at her eyebrows raised pen poised.

"Oh." Rory stammered. "Rory Anderton-Gilmore, professionally just Gilmore. I got married afterwards." She closed her eyes not sure why she had added that, he would see it from the author list on the work she sent him

"Rory Gilmore," Sebastian scribbled on his card and then tucked it in his pocket. He turned as a screeching sound emanated from the front of the room. He grimaced as the screeching continued. "Man!" he groaned as a creaky cover rendition of Bowie's _Changes_ began to assault the room. He looked down at his empty beer bottle as the band's cover somehow got worse. "I need another of these. But at least the night wasn't a total bust," he stowed his pen. "At least I can say I successfully networked." He gave her a nod and then walked away.

Rory stared down in the card fear but the good kind of fear gripping her chest. Another potential lifeline. She slipped the card inside her purse as Lane pushed her away across to her a grim expression on her face. "I'm sure they'll get better when they're warmed up."

"There too warmed they're completely baked," Lane hissed taking Rory's soda and taking a sip. "Fortunately so is most of the room. I can't belive no one knows about edibles." She looked thoughtful. "We were better don't you think?"

"At this?" Rory gestured to the room. "You're covers were amazing!"

"Hmm," Lane mumbled scanning the room. "That was the problem, too good at covers, our own stuff not marketable. Now we're too old for the hip crowd," she rolled her eyes. "Give it ten years and we'll be able to do stuff and then we take over the world. I have the power. It's just all about image," she sighed. "This is a travesty to Bowie. I hope he can't hear this in heaven," she signed mournfully and glanced towards the ceiling. Another shriek from the guitars and she shook her head. "Sorry I dragged you out to this disaster."

"No, it's OK," Rory looked down at her purse. "Apart from the actual music, it's been an OK night."


	33. Outside of Ordinary

**AN - Thank you guys, and for a change what was suggested in one chapter actually follows on from the next :P April wasn't backing out it was more Emily spending all this money on her that made her a little uncomfortable. But you can see how she gets on with the trip in this chapter. Now that FFnet is back up and running :S I hope you enjoy her adventure and the other bits. I hope you enjoy let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 33 - Outside of Ordinary**

"Thank you for doing this." Rory clenched her fists, wincing in discomfort as Luke staggered up the last of the stairs and deposited yet another carton of books on the ever-growing stack. He said nothing just made a grunt and disappeared to go down the two flights of stairs to collect more from the packed minivan. It was four flights of stairs, two down from the top floor, two up to the new apartment; 6 if you count the mini staircases into and out of both buildings and were being literal. Luke and Spencer were doing most of the moving. Really she should have hired movers but both men had scoffed like it was an insult to their masculinity though they insisted the scoffing was over price.

She turned and surveyed the chaos of the room. It had looked big when she had viewed it, but now with a couch, bookcase, table and tv it looked just about right. The kitchen looked tiny, crowded with boxes and she didn't even want to venture into the bedrooms were box after box was being taken. Did she really have so much stuff? Perhaps it was made smaller by her family crowding into the apartment. Lorelai was in the bedroom, unpacking clothes and helping Gigi. Her siblings were in unpacking the books. Willow was in charge, getting them to alphabetise the authors and the youngest 2 were dutifully working through each book. Kitty had given up and instead had started unpacking boxes at random, emptying the contents onto the couch and then searching out what she thought was the most appropriate place. Rory had banned her from the kitchen. But the boxes just kept on coming. When did she get so much stuff?

"Babe?" Lorelai called tottering out of the bedroom with a garment draped over her arms hiding her hands. "I need you're guidance." She beckoned towards the room by cocking back her head.

Rory followed and found her new bedroom looking as neat and as put together as a show home. "What do you need?"

"I need to know where to put these?" Lorelai threw back the garment to reveal a pair of handcuffs covered in pink leather. Rory felt her stomach drop. "There is the other thing as well," Lorelai's eyebrows waggled up and down suggestively. "I wasn't sure if it was a under the bed type of thing or if you have a special place for it."

"They were joke gift," Rory snatched the handcuffs away from Lorelai and threw them at the trashcan, "I forgot I even had them."

"And the other?" Lorelai continued to tease.

"I'll deal with it, just Mom please leave it." Rory scanned the room for any sign of the offending item.

"It's in your drawer," Lorelai smirked. "I figured I wouldn't leave it where little eyes could see it and ask questions."

"Mommy?"

Rory inwardly groaned as Kitty wandered into the bedroom behind her at the precise moment that you want you just turned 10-year-old sister to walk in. "It's nothing Kitty."

"What's nothing?" Kitty looked up at her blankly. Kitty swung her eyes around the room, studying her no doubt red face, Lorelai's teasing expression. Kitty's eyes fell on the handcuffs in the waste paper basket. "Oh, you're talking about the pink sparkly thing that Daddy found, he got really red like a whole twenty shades. He was embarrassed not angry. Why would he be?" she looked up expectantly at Rory.

"Oh God!" Rory's face fell into her hands.

"What's Oh God?" Gigi asked stepped out of her bedroom. "Mom I'm missing a carton of books."

"It's um…probably in the living room," Rory stammered wishing the ground would just swallow her up.

"Are you OK?" Gigi looked at her curiously.

"There's a big pink sparkly thing," Kitty informed her. "Everyone's embarrassed, 'cept Mommy. She thinks it's funny."

Gigi frowned and then her mouth formed an O shape. "The vibrator."

"Oh God!"

Kitty frowned. "What's a vibr …" She was silenced by Lorelai leaping across the room and placing her hand over Kitty's mouth. Kitty struggled free and scared at her angrily. "I get it, it's an adult thing. Jeez you think being 10 would get you somewhere." She tutted and rolled her eyes. "Mommy, Daddy needs help, he dropped something."

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute," Lorelai patted Kitty's shoulder in a consolatory manner.

Kitty and Gigi slipped out of the bedroom together, Gigi no doubt imparting knowledge to Kitty. Rory stared at Lorelai in horror. "Mom!"

"Well I was aiming for Monet and got a Jackson Pollock," Lorelai exhaled her own head dipping forward. "I better go do damage control."

"He saw…" Rory whispered.

"He's seen worse." Lorelai told her quietly, "I imagine at some point. I mean he lived with Jess and …Just don't expect any eye contact for the next decade."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai felt a nudge in her side, Luke's elbow as he fidgeted in his seat.

"How many times did they practise this?" Luke mumbled through the side of his mouth.

Up on stage the kindergarten kids were dressed as leaves, all dressed a variety of badly coloured in paper costumes with the exception of Sam and a 3 others who had beautifully made fabric costumes; courtesy of herself once she'd seen what they wanted Sam to wear. The kids were singing some tuneless song about seasons following their teacher who was waving her hands around exaggeratedly trying to get them to take part. Four of the kids were in tears. One had peed himself and all of them looked completely bemused.

"They're 5 and 6 what were you expecting?" Lorelai elbowed him. "Beside it will get better with the older kids that's why they do the Kindergarten and First grade separate to the rest."

Emily leaned in conspiratorially. "It is a little…"

"No," Lorelai held up a warning finger at Emily. "They are cute; we don't get to be mean about kids in plays when they're this age. High school yes but not Elementary school."

"Middle School?" April leaned forward her voice barely audible as on stage the kids were now rushing about in an apparent dance number.

"Depends," Lorelai folded her arms. "On the play and how precocious the kid is."

"I'm so glad I never did plays," April sank back in her chair.

"You did the ones in elementary school," Luke glanced at her, "but I remember those as …"

"Rose tinted memories," Lorelai elbowed him again.

Their conversation was starting to pick up attention. Some of the parents snickering in amused agreement, others looking horrified that the family might be talking about their little darling. The dance number came to an abrupt end with two kids banging into each other; smacking their heads and both beginning to bawl. The teacher gave up and climbed on stage to tend to them and the other staff members came out to usher the other kids of stage. This descended into chaos as kids started looking out into the crowd for their parents.

"That was an… interesting production," Emily sat back in her seat and then looked at her watch. "And the twins performance?"

"We've got an hour," Lorelai stood up. "I better go get Sam. No meanness. I want happy smiles only."

She pushed out of the line of chairs and headed across to the stage door with all the other parents. After a few minutes Sam came out still in his costume hand in hand with Ceilidh. "Hey Little Man."

"Hi Mommy," Sam trudged over to her.

"You were so great!" Lorelai crouched down to his level.

"But it wasn't very good," Sam looked sadly at the stage and then shook his head.

"It was interesting. But you and Cutie Cue here were so so great. You knew all the words, you knew all the steps. You didn't bang into anyone or cry or any of the other stuff that the other kids were doing." Lorelai told him she rotated her hand indicating for Sam to turn so she could unzip him and help him out of the costume. He had worn a pair of khaki's underneath and, as it was hidden, a printed tee, so now he looked like any normal day. "Daddy's got your shoes."

"Kay."

"You want help Sweetie?" Lorelai asked the little girl beside Sam. "Or is your Mommy here"?

"No, Mommy's working," Ceilidh looked close to tears.

"It's OK" Lorelai sought to assure her, assuming the little girl was upset because her Mom had missed her performance.

"It wasn't me," Ceilidh sniffed ominously and shook her head. Slowly she turned to reveal a wet patch on the back of her costume.

"Oh did you get caught in the pee wave," Lorelai winced sympathetically.

"My leggings is wet," Ceilidh whimpered and then began to cry.

"Oh No No no," Lorelai reached to cuddle the child. Other than by her own children when they were very small she had never been peed on. Her own children's pee was bad enough so she understood the little girl's horror. "Don't cry sweetie we can fix this." She tugged the child over to the row and glanced at the gathered family. With the unseasonably warm May she was wearing a dress and had forgone a cardigan, Emily wore a blouse, April a t-shirt and pants while Grace wore only a sundress. Her eyes focussed on Luke still in his thick flannel, impervious any change in temperature. "Hon, have you got a shirt on underneath."

Luke looked at her blankly and then down at his chest "I got a vest on."

"Oh Good. Flannel please," She held her hand out flexing it.

Luke looked at her in confused horror and then down at the whimpering Ceilidh still in her leaf costume and Sam who was trying to comfort her. "Why?"

"Ceilidh got caught in the pee tsunami, her clothes are wet and her Mom isn't here. Seeing as you have something to take off. Gimme, or else I'm giving the good parents of Stars Hollow something to talk about."

Luke stood up muttering under his breath but began to unbutton his shirt.

Satisfied Lorelai turned back to the small child and helped Ceilidh out of the costume and then out of her wet leggings. Luke dropped the flannel on her shoulder and she quickly draped it around Ceilidh rolling the sleeves so the small child had use of her hands. "Now Young Miss. I hope you know that I don't let just anyone wear my man's clothes, but for you I'll allow it." Ceilidh gave a wet giggle. "Let's go see if we can't give these a quick wash and dry and get you back in them," Lorelai stood up and surveyed the bright green leggings critically, nothing a bit of soap and water wouldn't fix. She turned to tell the rest of the party what she was going to do. The words died in her mouth and she blinked a few times thoroughly sideswiped by the sight of Luke in a tight white undershirt. He looked uncomfortable and very very…

"Lorelai this is a school!" Emily shot at her, her voice nagging but her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Seriously?" Luke rolled his eyes.

"Well if you must look like diet coke man's older brother," Lorelai shook herself feeling her own embarrassment. "I'm gonna go wash these so Luke can get his shirt back because wowza!"

"Offspring feeling very uncomfortable here." April grimaced.

"Well I'm uncomfortable too," Luke sniped.

"Alright," Lorelai waved her hand and scurried off to get the leggings clean. After washing and drying the leggings in the bathroom and getting Ceilidh redressed she retook her place so that they could lay claim to the row. The next performance was for all the kids who wanted to take part. Kitty was doing a gymnastics display while Willow was in a couple of singing numbers. For whatever reason no one thought to come claim Ceilidh which Lorelai worried about mildly. She'd signed for Sam to attend the performance but hadn't included Ceilidh and as her parents weren't there was pretty sure the child should still be in class. Neither of the six year olds minded though and were chattering away ten to the dozen. She hadn't ever seen Sam so talkative before; with the exception of a certain dinosaur obsession. So unless she got accused of kidnap she had no problem with Ceilidh being here.

Finally the next production began with children filing onto the stage and the hubbub of the hall died down. Onstage children formed a semicircle and then Willow and a short boy stepped forward. Lorelai's mouth dropped open. "Is she singing a solo?" she looked at Luke who looked equally dumbstruck as Willow opened the performance by sweetly singing the opening line of the musical number.

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily stirred the remains of her coffee, killing time while she waited for April to return. She pressed her lips together as unbidden she found herself humming the song that had been stuck in her head for the past week. An earworm April had called it. A rather disgusting name, but accurate. The song, picked up last week at the twins concert and the subsequent repeat performances that Lorelai had insisted Willow do, had wormed its way into her brain. The tune, a Broadway number that she could not remember had been circling her mind as she and April travelled across country to Alaska.

She and April had had a pleasant few days visiting the museums and main attractions in Anchorage and today April had gone on her glacier tour while she had gone shopping. April hated shopping so she had thought it best. She hadn't been that successful, their luggage allowance for one thing precluded buying too much, so most of her purchases were trinkets for the children. She checked her watch, April's boat should have docked and she supposed that she was on her way back. They had dinner reservations in an hour so she would have to be back soon.

Emily people watched the rest of the inhabitants in the hotel's exclusive Captains Deck lounge finding the people far more interesting than the panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Finally, April entered the lounge, her face flushed, her hair windswept and a look of sheer exhilaration on her face. Emily paused before standing and calling out April's name. When April turned to her Emily almost had to take a step back from the sheer about of joy radiating from the young woman. She opened her mouth to needlessly ask if April had a good time but April silenced her by lunging forward and throwing her arms around Emily's neck. She staggered back nearly floored by April's exuberance. April squeezing so tight Emily thought her ribs would break. Emily smiled, words were unnecessary.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai tipped her head as she stared at the samples of wallpaper stuck to the prepared stud walls. It was so hard to judge if the dark brown portion of the brown and gold wallpaper would make the space too dark, if it did it meant she would need to go with the lighter wallpaper which she didn't like as much. She tipped her head and took a step back. She wanted the spa opulent and relaxing not dingy and drab.

A loud banging sounded followed by muffled shouts of, "Mom!"

She turned in surprise at Rory's yell, abandoning the wallpaper she strode to the glass door. Rory stood on the other side clutching her cell phone. Lorelai opened the door and slipped out into the mud puddle that would end up being a beautifully landscaped area. "Everything OK Babe?"

"Yes," Rory fumbled with her phone and then thrust it out. "Read this."

Lorelai took the phone and held it at a distance that she could read it. Her brow lifted as she took in the content. "I don't understand."

"It's an offer to work on a book, he liked my stuff," Rory gushed.

"A book? What book? What stuff? Who is he? Mommy needs some context."

Rory looked crestfallen. "Lane's party last month. The guy at the agency."

"That you sent you're editorials to? He wants to turn them into a book?" Lorelai tried to piece what she was being told.

"No," Rory shook her head. "I mean kind of. I sent him some of my creative writing as well. I don't have much but I sent a short story that I wrote for that thing that went nowhere and one of the stories that I wrote for Gigi. He liked that."

Lorelai burrowed her brow as she tried to follow Rory's excited babbling. "The story for Gigi?"

"Yes!"

Lorelai rolled her wrist for more information. "So he?"

"He asked if I had more like that story and I told him I did and the context and he asked me to send them to him. So I did and he sent me that." She pointed at her phone. "He wants to work with me with a view to turning it into a cohesive narrative and becoming a book."

"An actual published book?" Lorelai finally got it. She beamed at her daughter. "That is so great!" Rory's expression fell slightly, "It's not great?"

"It might not be a book, he's only an agency he has to sell it to a publisher and maybe no one will like them," Rory ran her hands through her hair. "I mean they'r…"

"Uh uh, stop right there. Don't put the roadblocks down before anything has really happened," Lorelai placed a comforting hand on Rory's wrist. "You've got an invitation into the lobby. Lets go take a look, ok? If you don't like it we can hightail it." She lowered her eyes to make eye contact with Rory. "What did Spencer say?"

"He's excited for me. Gigi's excited, sort of."

"Sort of?"

Rory gave a faint grimace. "I wrote them for her."

"Ah possessiveness I know it well." Lorelai smirked. She studied Rory, her daughter looked flushed with excitement. "An author. That for you is pretty much the perfect thing! I mean you read enough. Honestly I could have built a house out of the books, had you know, we owned them and them not been library books. Hmm. An author. Yep, more perfect then teacher but both are good." She pressed her lips together as Rory seemed to melt under the praise. "Now. Come help me choose." Lorelai leaned back to open the glass door.

"Choose?"

"Wallpaper," Lorelai pulled Rory into the unfinished space. "I got to let Tom know on Monday so he can work out how much he needs and ordering and etcetera etcetera."

"It looks good Mom."

"It looks unfinished, it needs sprinkles," Lorelai waved her hands dismissively, "and decorating and furniture and candles. I'm thinking seasonal, apple and cinnamon in the fall, citrusy in the summer, florals in the spring."

"Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking," Rory deadpanned.

Lorelai turned and gave her a cheeky grin. "There's my girl. But do you think candles will be good?" She led Rory through what would be the reception area. "Oh and I know it's a spa but there will be caffeine and other items that the American public need to function. I'm thinking a hamburger station?"

"Pancake Station would be better," Rory mused.

"Oh perfect. Then I really can have sprinkles."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai lifted the t-shirt that Luke had placed in his duffel and folded it first neatly and then rolled it tightly. She placed it to one side and then took the flannel that Luke had just put in the bag.

"I'm supposed to be packing here. If you didn't want me to go you should of said something," Luke glared at her.

Lorelai smiled softly, the waves of exasperation were washing off him. "I'm making sure you can fit more in. You need to fit your sneakers in as well. You don't want to wear your boots all the time, you need something for in the evenings. I got you some sandals as well so you can let those tootsies breathe."

"I'm not wearing sandals." Luke stared at her in horror.

"You might not, but you might want them," Lorelai shrugged and continued unpacking his bag so she could pack for him properly.

"You're putting it back right or is this some kind of ploy?" Luke asked, he rounded the bed and shoved the clothes he had yet to put in the bag towards her.

"No ploy, just want you to have all your stuff," Lorelai purposefully looked down. She hated that he was going but it was too wonderful an opportunity for him to miss. He was excited about the trip, she'd seen the excited little boy come out in him as April called or messaged her excitement bubbling through the phone about her and Emily's trip. Truth be told she was jealous, while she'd never considered herself a jet setter, her only real holiday had been her Europe trip with Rory. A pretty gigantic trip, all things considered, but since then the only times they went away had been to visit Rory in New York or Baltimore or as a family up to the lake house. The only holiday she and Luke had taken by themselves, not for a purpose like a graduation, was their babymoon pre Sam, and that had been cut short. She'd never really got a chance to adventure properly and the one time Luke actually wanted to go away it was with someone else. Granted as a someone else goes, daughter was a good person to be going with.

It was dumb really, because what Luke and April were going to do was nothing she would ever want to do. Hiking for 6 days? Where is the fun in that? But once, just once, she'd like a proper holiday with just her husband.

"What're you thinking?" Luke asked softly.

She looked up from the bag, he was studying her intently. "Just me being selfish. Planning our empty nest."

"What?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Sure?"

"I'm sure," she put the flannel in the pack and then paused. "Do you have photos? You need to see our faces so you don't forget us all. I can make you an album but that might be heavy."

"I have photos and if you think anyone forgets you, you're crazy," Luke gave a soft snort of derision.

Lorelai tipped her head looking at him expectantly, he gave a soft sigh of frustration and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and opened it. On one side was his driving license, one credit card, one bank card, on the other, cash squeezed into the slits meant for other cards. The long wide opening meant for cash was instead filled with wad of photographs. She held out her hand and with a sigh he handed it over. She pulled the photos out and studied them. Some were the posed portrait photos that Emily had insisted on taking, others were the kids school photos and some were candid shots.

"Those two," he tapped the photos in turn. "Those are my favourites."

Lorelai looked at his favourite photos and smiled, the first was a picture that Emily had orchestrated, she was probably about 6 months pregnant with Grace sat in a gold chair the kids around her, the then 1 year old Sam stood holding onto the arm looking at the photographer in bewilderment as she and the seemingly impossibly small twins howled in laughter at something. The other picture was from two Christmases ago, the kids all on the bed with her tipping out their stockings in excitement, everyone fluffy haired and rosy cheeked. "Good photos," she nodded before holding one up. "That's mine," she held it out to him a picture from the last trip to the lakehouse, the whole family squeezed around the table in a restaurant, Sam and Grace on Richard's knee, Luke with his arm draped around her shoulder, everyone giving cheesy smiles to the camera. The waitress had taken it. "We're all in it."

"Yeah," Luke took the photos back from her, "but I don't need to be in the pictures in my wallet. It's a bit weird, and I'd rather have you and the kids."

Lorelai handed him back his wallet so he could stow the pictures away. "Still got the horoscope?"

He looked up at her out of the top of his eyes and gave a faint guilty nod. He pulled out his driving license from the pocket with the clear plastic revealing that behind was the fragment of newspaper. "Never has come true."

"You want it to?"

"Never."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke leaned back against his elbows and let out a contented sigh as he looked upwards. The walls of the Grand Canyon towered over them and beyond that seemingly millions of stars filled the sky. It was a place completely devoid of light pollution. He'd never seen a sky this clear, even when he'd been camping at home. April echoed his sigh from her position with her head resting on his thigh.

"I think it's the Scutum Star Cloud or the Sagittarius Star Cloud," she told him raising her arm to point out a feature.

"Sure is stunning whatever it's called," Luke murmured.

"Those twinkle lights have a lot to answer for," April muttered, she moved her legs and gave a wince.

This was day four of the adventure. They had two more days of hiking and rafting along the Colorado River, before a day of relaxation at a diamond rated hotel and they then flew from Phoenix Sky Airport direct to Manchester, NH where they would join the rest of the family at Emily's lakehouse in Wolfeboro. He'd been hesitant to spend two weeks away from the diner, but time spent away with April was too important. There were less and less chances to spend time as she got older and as the family had got bigger she'd had to take fewer and fewer moments. Alone time was an hour if they were lucky. Seven days of just them, well plus the guides and the 8 other people on the trip, was a rare and blissful experience. Being here, in a place were the only word to describe it was majestic, was bitter sweet. April was the only person in his life he could share this with. There was no way that Lorelai would hike even for majesty and the kids were too young, Rory too like Lorelai. Maybe Sam would want to do it owing to his obsession with dinosaurs and his interest in the geology in relation to different periods but by the time Sam was old enough he would be sixty. It was hard enough now at almost fifty. He moved his own leg and winced, these treks were hard, so was rafting. He'd never thought himself unfit before but he certainly wasn't fit fit. Maybe it was good that Lorelai was opening a gym within the spa. He could use it get back into decent fitness rather than middle aged dad fitness.

"What are you thinking?" April asked softly, she lifted her head back to peer at him through the top of her eyes.

"How beautiful it is and how sad I am I'm never going to get to do with the other kids or Lorelai." He smiled at her. "But if I only get to do it once I'm glad it's with you."

April smiled. Slowly she pulled herself to sitting, wincing as she did. She rolled onto her knees. "I'll make you a deal. If he wants, for Sam's twenty first, I'll do this with him and then we meet you and Lorelai in Las Vegas. I don't think the others would want to do this."

"Alright. Deal." Luke nodded. April crawled alongside and matched his position of legs outstretched propped up on her elbows staring at the stars. "This is amazing."

"Yeah."

"Don't tell Grandma, but this is my favourite part, even more then the glacier and Rainbow Falls. This, the stars."

"I don't think Emily would mind. She'd just be happy you enjoyed yourself." Luke's eyes drifted back to the sky. "I mean, look at it."

"My memory card is full from pictures," April chuckled to herself. "It's totally worth the pain and the blisters."

"Yeah," Luke nodded in agreement, he glanced down at her. "Emily won't mind. She did this to make you happy, to say thank you for what you've done for her. She suggested I do this with you. She's more perceptive then most of us give her credit for. She knew you doing this with me would mean more then standing on the rim in a fancy hotel. She gets you. More importantly she loves you."

April wriggled her shoulders. "I love her too."

"Tell her that. That's all she really wants to hear."


	34. The Sky is Not so Bright

**AN - Thanks guys, so glad you liked the chapter, bonding all round and I'm so pleased you liked the April and Luke bit they needed of alone time. Thank you so much for sticking with the story. We're into the closing quarter now, the final year of the saga as it's going to finish June 2017 timeline wise and we're hitting June 2016 . Still a while to go though so I hope you like what I have left :) Here's the next chapter a companion piece of sorts to Chapter 17 and the difference a year makes . I hope you like it, let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 34 – The Sky is Not so Bright**

Lorelai exhaled heavily as she put the minivan in park. It was the first time she had driven to the Lakehouse in New Hampshire herself. Usually Luke did all the driving but he was flying in with April after their adventure, so she'd was on her lonesome. The journey made her realise just how creaky the minivan was getting and she made a mental note to bring it up with Luke. They had a decision to make, run it into the ground or get a newer one now and risk the kids destroying it while they were still little.

"Phew!" Willow sounded beside her. With no Luke, the twins had taken it in turns to ride shotgun, swapping every time tiny bladders needed emptying. "I like the lake house but phew!"

"I hear ya," Lorelai agreed. She turned in her seat to check on the rest of the kids. Grace was curled up in her safety seat asleep. Kitty almost bouncing out of her seat and Sam was staring forlornly at the house. It had been a while since she'd seen that expression on his face but she knew what it meant. This was the first time they had visited the Lake house since her Dad's passing. Whole loads of feelings were being raked up, for her and for the kids, especially Sam. Their last trip here had been almost perfect in every way, or certainly at least her Dad had been on top form Grandpa wise. The last thing she wanted to do was to ruin memories or make the memories harder to remember. She'd tried to convince Emily to cancel the trip, but Emily was having none of it, citing that it was a Family Tradition. The Trademark, hashtag, carved in stone had been explicit. She hadn't questioned it further, but she didn't think any of them would have as good a trip as they had before.

She leaned through the gap of the seat and lightly stroked Grace's leg. The newly minted 5 year old stirred with a little whine. "Gracie, time to wake up baby." Grace wriggled awake in her seat. Suddenly Grace's eyes shot open and she began fumbling with her car seat straps. "It's OK Shortcake," Lorelai soothed unsure what was going on. Before she had a chance to ask, Grace let out an insistent whine and then suddenly flopped back in her seat a look of defeat on her face.

"Oh!" Sam whispered and looked away embarrassed "I'm gonna go see if Daddy is here," he expertly slid out of his seat and out through the door. Kitty and Willow silently followed suit.

"Mommy," Grace's lip wobbled.

"It's OK Shortcake, accidents happen." Lorelai soothed. Knowing to say anything else would make it worse.

"But I'm a big girl" Grace whimpered.

"Maybe, but you're always Mommy's little girl," Lorelai attempted, Grace's lip stopped wobbling and her eyes narrowed looking entirely unconvinced. "Lets go in and get clean OK."

"Kay."

Lorelai climbed out the car and round to the other side to help Grace out of her seat and the car. she grabbed her emergency travel bag from the trunk a bag which contained a change of clothes for each of the kids should they spill, puke or as it proved to be have an accident, plus a spare top for her should they do it over her. She walked slowly, Grace walking alongside her like a cowboy. At the entrance to the extravagant lake house Emily stood greeting all of the children. Her attention drew over to them and a flicker of disgust washed over her face before she plastered a perfect smile on her face. "Hello you two."

"Hi Mom," Lorelai led Grace up the steps. "Can you entertain the rabble for a little bit?"

"Of course." Emily nodded purposefully not looking at Grace who seemed to be melting with shame. "I'll have Berta draw a bath."

"Berta?" Lorelai stared at Emily blankly. Her parents had always hired someone local to clean the house, they had never brought a maid from home, but then her mother had never employed a maid for as long as she had Berta.

"Yes, Berta and her children are staying over the garage. I thought the children might like to play with someone," Emily turned waving her hands to usher the kids in as if what she had said was the most normal thing. "Luke and April should land about six."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke splayed his hand raising it palm forward as a show of thanks at the driver of the car Emily had sent to pick he and April up from the airport. The plane had landed a little later than planned, something about crosswinds, not that he'd really noticed because the whole ride had been the most luxurious vehicle he'd ever been in. When Emily had said a charter flight, he'd assumed that there would be other passengers, not that there would be a private plane, just for them. There had been 4 members of staff for only him and April. It was so indulgent, such a despicable waste of resources. He'd spent most of the flight silently fuming to himself until April had told him off in a way that only his kids could. He'd begrudgingly accepted everything else on the journey. Now at the lake house even though it was still luxury he could pitch in, cook, do some things that might need doing like check the guttering, at least he could feel like he was contributing not just consuming.

"DADDY!"

Sam's voice hit him a few seconds before his son. His usually quiet careful little boy sprinted out of the door and leapt into the air. He actually had no idea that Sam could move that fast. "Hey Sam."

"I missed you," Sam buried his head into Luke's neck. "You was gone forever!"

"Just a week," Luke tenderly rubbed Sam's back. "Me and Apes had a great time but we're really pleased to see you." Sam slowly peeled his face away from his neck. "Did Mommy drive OK?" Luke asked shifting the weight of his son to his hip.

"Mommy drove fine, thank you very much. I got Ten out of Ten and a gold star." Lorelai called as she trotted out of the entrance. She paused and blinked rapidly for a few moments. "I see the holiday agreed with you," she whispered lowly.

"It was great!" April interjected. She tipped her head and looked between the two of them. "Gross" she muttered under her breath, "Sam, come on" she hefted Sam with some difficulty into her arms. "Just so you know, he wore those sandals while wearing his sport socks," she told Lorelai pleadingly then ran towards the door.

"It was really great. I need the long shower but other then that…" he trailed off as she blushed. "Oh, Seriously!" She nodded and made a humming noise. "Wait have I rendered you speechless." He grinned. "That never happens."

"Ind…" she cleared her throat. "No I mean. Not really but... You look…" she cleared her throat again. "I'm gonna have to fatten you up this week, because otherwise there are going to be insane queues out the door of the diner," she self-consciously scratched her head. "I need to scent you or something."

"Let's go with the or something because that sounds disgusting." He climbed the steps and came level to her. "I need to have a shower."

"Yeah, you have the camping smell," her nose wrinkled but she look no less flustered. "but other than the smell it all looks good, so maybe don't shower, keep up that manly musk to keep those others away. Or…" She took his hand. "Come in, as soon as my Mom is around the wanting to jump will go. She is a powerful moodkiller as is the sandal sock thing. Maybe do that a bit. And also I told you so,"

"About what?" Luke looked at her blankly.

"The sandals," Lorelai quirked her eyebrows. "I know my shoes and feet," she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "Hi"

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily stirred as she felt something rolled in alongside her. Her eyes snapped open, she hadn't shared a bed with someone for almost a year. She glanced down and exhaled softly, the unexpected panic releasing from her chest. Willow squirmed alongside her. It all came flooding back to her. Willow had wanted to read with her but there wasn't space in Willow's bed for her to sit alongside her granddaughter and as Willow had been aghast at the thought of Emily sitting alongside her bed in a chair they had come into her bedroom. She was supposed to go get Luke if Willow fell asleep. Judging from the fact that the book was neatly on the bedside table she had fallen asleep before Willow. Or else Lorelai or Luke had come to check on them and had decided to let them be.

Willow squirmed again and Emily adjusted her arm bringing it around her granddaughter's shoulder. Willow's eyelid fluttered but she didn't wake fully. Emily studied her granddaughter closely; she was long, no longer a little girl really, at ten she was on the cusp of adolescence. Her hair was losing that downy fluffiness and instead her curls were becoming more defined. She looked exactly like Lorelai had done at this age; the twins always had, though Kitty was a little leaner no doubt from her gymnastics and ice skating. The one fundamental change between Lorelai and Willow was distance. Lorelai had been so eager to push her away, the thought of them reading together wouldn't even occurred let alone wanting to be in her bed. The closeness she had assumed that would drift with age just as it had done with Lorelai and was happening to a much lesser extent with Kitty wasn't happening with Willow. The child still treated her with the same love and affection she'd always done.

Emily leaned down and kissed Willow softly on her crown. The action made Willow stir awake. She stared up at Emily bleary eyed.

"I gotta go to my bed?"

"No Precious," Emily whispered gently stroking Willow's arm.

"Kay," Willow squirmed in tighter her eyes closing. "Love you."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke winced as Kitty, Grace and Berta's daughter pitch matched their squeals. The three girls were knee deep in the cool water playing tag. Willow sat sharing a lounger with Gigi, the pair of them reading the same book at the same time. Lorelai was laying on the lounger beside him in such a way that told him she had fallen asleep. She wore large sunglasses that seemed to cover most of the top half of her face so her eyes were invisible but her body was so slack that he could tell even without seeing her eyes. Even though she had slathered herself in factor 30 she was starting to look a little pink. He rose from his chair and moved to the as yet unfurled umbrella. Carefully he pushed it to open and then dragged it across the soft sand of the Lake house's private beach to try to give her some shade.

"Daddy," Sam sidled up. He was covered in sand from sitting by the lake edge digging a deep hole. Sam's hands reached to help, gripping hold of the umbrella pole and helping to shield Lorelai. When they finished covering her in shade Luke looked down at his little boy. Sam looked forlorn. "I sit with you?" he asked plaintively

"Yeah," Luke beckoned him back to the lounger. He brushed the back of Sam's legs clean of most of the sand and then sat down. After a moment Sam gingerly sat on his knee and then flopped across Luke's chest. "It's OK," Luke rubbed Sam's back.

"I want to stop feeling sad," Sam's whisper verged on whimpering. "I keep looking for Grandpa. I keep wanting to see him. Then I get sad. I want to stop."

"I know. You need to keep busy. So, after you've had enough hug. I say you go in the water and play with your sisters. That will help you not think about Grandpa."

Sam peeled his face away from Luke's shoulder and peered at him dolefully. "They'll splash me."

"So you splash them back."

"Really?" Sam stared at him in awe. "I can do that?"

"As long as it is at people in the lake, you're all playing and everyone is having fun, yes you can."

"I can splash Kitty?" Sam glanced over his shoulder, "she won't get mad?"

"Maybe she will," Luke smirked. He smoothed down Sam's curls. "But we won't know till we try."

"You'll help me splash Kitty?" Sam's smile widened to maximum.

Luke nodded. Sam carefully climbed off his lap and hovered while he stood. Luke rubbed his palms together. "Ok kids, waterfight but no getting anyone on the beach." He gave a yell as a spray of water flew at him, sent by Kitty kicking the water in his direction. "Right you," he marched forward. Kitty gave a squeal and tried to run in the water but he caught her easily. She squirmed in his arms cackling in delight. "You ready to swim?" he whispered. Kitty gave an excited nod and he lobbed her up and away towards the deeper part of the lake. Kitty landed with a loud splash, disappearing beneath the water. Less than a second passed before she resurfaced her hair in her face, grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

 **xXx**

"They'll bring it out," Spencer told them as he set the 3 pint glasses on the table and then slid into the booth beside Rory. "Shouldn't be long."

"Do I owe you anything?" April asked slipping her hands around her glass.

"No," Spencer shook his head. "You can get the next round."

"Will do." April nodded eagerly. "I should have got these. I've spent like the last month being completely spoilt by Grandma. She wouldn't let me pay for anything. Or carry my own bag. She barely even let me carry my own carry on."

"She's very particular about luggage and us not carrying. Getting what she paid for and all that," Rory smiled. "She sounds like she enjoyed herself that's the most important thing."

"It was amazing. I think she would have liked more shopping opportunities but other than that it was just so great." April sank back into the worn leather booth. The bar as like all bars in New Hampshire was technically a restaurant so they'd ordered some burgers to tide them over, giving them a longer break away from the lake house and the over excited kids.

"So are you relaxed and ready to start at Yale?" Rory asked setting the table with the cutlery provided neatly wrapped in paper towels.

"I thinks so," April traced a bead of condensation down the glass with her thumb. "I'm starting to get nervous though."

"Nerves are good," Rory told her softly. "Means it means something, and it will be OK. It's tough but OK."

"I hope so. I'm hoping I meet people sooner than I did at college," April shifted awkwardly in her seat.

"It's different to undergrad, but you'll find your group" Spencer assured her "I really enjoyed my doctorate. I was actually doing what I wanted to do rather than having to tick boxes. Do you know what you are specialising in?"

"Not exactly," April fidgeted, "The first year is the taught master's bit, and I think they shove you on whatever research project needs bodies. I think year 2 we get to state our preferences after those just doing the masters finish."

"Pretty much what happened with me," Spencer nodded. He took a swig of beer. Upon swallowing, he glanced at Rory. "The campus is beautiful."

April nodded in agreement. With a sigh she pressed her thumbs against the condensed surface of the glass and then slowly withdrew them. She stared at the whorled thumb prints left on the surface. "Did you know what Grandma has done to honour Grandpa?"

Rory's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Set up an entrepreneur fund for student start-ups and funded a PhD ship in Economics." She smiled weakly. "It was in the newsletter I got sent, so I went digging on the university webpage. The Gilmore Entrepreneur fund. Available to all students. It provides $1000 start-up grants."

"Sounds about right," Rory tipped her head sideways. "Help them help themselves."

"Did Grandpa want to do a PhD?" April asked softly.

"I think if things had been different, yeah" Rory nodded sadly. "If he was our age, if he'd been born at a different time. Grandma too," she sighed and glanced at Spencer.

"Victims of their generation," April shook her head miserably.

"But their sacrifice enables us to not be victims of ours," Rory raised her glass. The two sisters clinked glasses. "Well that got deep."

"Yeah," April wriggled in her seat, she gave an embarrassed smirk. "We should talk about Millennial things."

"Are you a Millennial?" Rory wrinkled her brow. "I thought you were Gen Z born mid 90's."

"I thought Millennials starts mid 80's goes to 2000, so maybe you're not a Millennial." She tipped her head forward in exasperation. "I don't know, blamed for the worlds ills and they can't even figure out what the years the demographic are."

"Explains why we're all so confused," Spencer, sounded. Both girls turned to look at him with mild incredulity. "What?"

"You were born in 78," Rory shook her head. "Gen X."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Are Smores not the best thing ever?" Lorelai crowed after swallowing the bite of Grace's gooey chocolate mess of a confection that the child had offered to her.

"Um, one of." Kitty qualified. "because, donuts, ice cream, chicken dippers, fries."

"Strawberries," Grace interjected.

"Bananas." Sam offered. "'Specially when they are desserted," he frowned. "Made into dessert."

"Banoffee pie," Lorelai licked her lips. "We should have banoffee pie."

"You are making me feel sick," Emily grimaced; she glanced at Willow who was deep in concentration staring at the marshmallow at the end of her skewer. "Willow? What about you?"

"Sec," Willow mumbled. She made a tiny squeak as her marshmallow began to burn. "Daddy!"

"Got it," Luke lunged forward and rescued the burning sugar, expertly smooshing the melted white and getting rid of most of the burnt parts. "There you go."

"Thanks," Willow breathed in relief and then moved to take her place squeezed in beside Emily on the wooden garden chair. "I agree with everything so far, but we haven't got to breakfast food yet. Breakfast food is the best. Pancakes with bacon and strawberries."

"And maple syrup," Lorelai added.

"Ew no!" Willow shook her head in disgust. "Maybe eggs, but scrambled not eyes."

"Eyes?" Emily frowned in confusion.

"Fried eggs," Luke explained.

"It's all about the placement," Rory added. "If you have two eggs it can look like it's ogling you and that is very off putting. Like when fish has eyes. It's just creepy."

"Yeah we don't want to think of our food as having been alive" Lorelai nodded in agreement.

"Oh I see," Emily raised her chin in understanding. "Is that related to the veganism you were talking about?" she glanced at April.

"One of the reasons," April nodded. "Mostly it's just better for the environment."

"Why were you talking about veganism?" Luke asked curiously.

"I was explaining to Grandma that I like to eat vegan meals," April muttered.

"Are you vegan?" Spencer asked April as he skewered another marshmallow and handed it to Grace.

"Not really," April gestured at the family indicating the meals she eats with them, "but whenever it's just me I try to be or at the very least as close as I can. There often isn't a lot of choice sandwich wise and sometimes you just got to have the cake," she blushed.

Luke looked at her in surprise. "Why didn't you say?"

"Your house so you eat what you want." April shrugged. "It's my choice not an allergy or anything so why should I force you to do what I want. Besides can you imagine you guys ever going meat free?"

"No," Kitty shook her head vehemently. "I like meat too much."

"I could at least get you vegan cheese," Luke told April softly.

"Isn't that just American cheese slices?" Lorelai chuckled. "Pretty sure most of those have never seen hide or hair of an animal."

"Probably not," Luke scowled. "You know I use proper cheddar or Swiss right?"

"I know," Lorelai nodded, she casually lifted Grace's skewer so the child didn't sent the marshmallow directly into the flames. "You do good cheese."

"I can get you vegan cheese," Luke turned back to April.

"It's fine Dad. I'm not properly vegan. I guess I'm Flexitarian that's the best way to describe it. I try and take a more environmentally sustainable approach to what I eat. If I have a choice I'll take the veggie option but if not then…" she shrugged.

"Were you going to say no harm no foul?" Lorelai smirked.

"Yeah, but that got me thinking fowl like chicken and they do get harmed if I'm eating chicken," April shook her head in amusement. "'Sides I can't be full vegetarian because like you say smores are the best."

"It's graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallow," Willow said carefully. "What's not vegetarian? It's sugar and nice. There isn't any meat."

"Oh," April whispered carefully. "The gelatine in the marshmallow."

Willow looked down at her nibbled gooey treat in confusion; her face creased in disgust and then she held it out her smore to Lorelai. "You have it Mommy. I'll just have the chocolate."

Lorelai took the gooey mess and shrugged. "Fine by me."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai nudged Luke as he turned to look at something, again. "Hey pillow, hold still," she elbowed him with more force, "how's a girl supposed to get comfortable if you're wriggling all over the place? What are you looking at anyway?" she sat forward and turned her head in the direction that Luke kept looking. She frowned in confusion as she saw her mother. Emily was stood stock still at the very bottom of the stairs down from the porch. Even from a distance she could see that her mother's expression was vacant. "What is she doing?"

"I dunno," Luke mumbled sitting up and then leaning forward.

"She does it occasionally," April told them without looking up from her book "Less so then she was. I've tried to get her to explain but from the half answer she gave me I think that something reminds her about Grandpa and it knocks her out without actually knocking her out. If you talk to her she's usually fine."

"I got it," Lorelai pulled Luke back by his arm and then used him as a fulcrum to stand. She scurried over to her mother, slowing her pace as she came within twenty feet. "Hey Mom, I was gonna get the some drinks, do you want anything?"

Emily was a blank slate for a moment, then she blinked and the life returned to her eyes. "Sorry Lorelai, what did you say?"

"I'm getting drinks, do you want anything?" Lorelai repeated carefully. "You OK?" Emily bristled and she held her hand up. "Sorry, it looked like we lost you a minute there. Willow keeping you up with all her reading?"

"I enjoy listening to her read. She has such clear diction. It's so nice to hear, so many people these days mumble," Emily fumbled with the sleeves of her light blue cardigan clearly embarrassed.

"Ok, well good all that chattering I get them doing helps. So you want a drink?" Lorelai clenched her fists beneath her own baggy kimono top. She was used to her Mom being distant in an I-have-no-idea-what-you're-on-about way but distant because she seemed to have left the planet was new and a little scary. "Or if you have five minutes I can show you the photos of the spa in progress." Emily's face brightened at the thought. "You want to see? Cool, the drinks can wait. I'm showing anyone who shows the slightest bit of interest. All of yall are gonna be so bored by the time it opens"

"Is there much to do?" Emily asked quietly turning back to the house.

"This and that. It's kind of nice to have the break. I think Tom likes it as well. He and his guys can get on with things without me getting in the way or changing anything," Lorelai bounced up the steps "I'll go get the tablet. Just be thankful it's not on slides, you can flick through them fairly quickly though I will be running a commentary."

"Don't you always?" Emily clipped.

"Yes but some of them are a bit confusing just sort of walls. I'm not always that great at photography. Explanation is necessary," Lorelai scanned the living room. "Take a pew Mom. I underestimated the 5 minutes."

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily stared out at the lake, the sun had not risen above the hills and trees yet, the body of water just a dark expanse before her in the pre-dawn light. This was how her life felt, a dark expanse with only the faintest of lights. Lorelai had been right. Coming here was a mistake. Everything was Richard and being here tainted the memories from the previous 9 years of visits.

A loud bang sounded and Emily jumped. She turned in horror, hand on her chest only to find Sam in his ridiculous but thoroughly adorable _I'm Roarsome_ pyjamas struggling with the door. He smiled widely. "Sorry Grandma," he scurried over to her.

"Samuel, you should be in bed" she scolded lightly, her voice sounded nervous and scared. She straightened her shoulders trying to get her heartbeat to regulate.

"So should you," Sam looked up at her. She rolled her eyes and he pouted. Before she had a chance to say anything further he took her hand and brought it back to rest on the railing. "I miss him too." He smiled softly. Emily swallowed down the sob in her throat and softly flattened his hair against his scalp. Sam sighed heavily "This place makes me sad. It makes you sad"

"It does," she admitted softly and squeezed his hand.

"It's pretty but it's not the same," Sam told her quietly.

"Your Mother was right," Emily told him softly. "We shouldn't have come. The last trip I think, or we'll start forgetting him," The expression on Sam's face made Emily want to cuddle him to her. He looked like he was going to be sick at the thought of forgetting Richard.

"I don't want to forget him, but I don't want it to be our last trip as a family. I like us all being together. When we come here it's the only time it's all just us together. No one has busy stuff to do," he sighed and stepped in closer to her. "We could get another house to go to. Somewhere where we won't forget Grandpa because he never go…went there." he wrapped his free arm around her waist "Can we go somewhere where there are fossils?" A sparkle caught his eye and he turned his head to look towards the lake. The sun had crested the hill. "Oh," he whispered softly. "It's pretty."

"It is," Emily agreed. She took a step away, moving out of his grip. Sam watched her confused for a moment. She leaned forward and placed her hands under his arms.

He shook his head. "I'm too big Grandma!"

"It's just for a moment, just while the sun comes up," Emily pressed a kiss against his forehead. She grunted as she stood up and Sam quickly wrapped his legs around her middle so he was holding on rather then her holding him up. He was still heavy, almost too heavy. She strained to hold him but she didn't want to let him go. The sun climbed a tiny bit more and involuntarily she gave a little sniff. "Thank you for joining me Sam. I miss sharing sunrises."

Sam pressed a kiss against her cheek, just at the point she was worried she would drop him, Sam wriggled. She let him slide down her but when his feet touched the cold wooden planks of the porch he stepped in tight to her. His hands clamped round her waist hugging her she suspected as hard as he could. "I'll share them with you Grandma, I like sunrises."


	35. The Ups and Downs of New

**AN - Thank you guys, I'm glad you liked the Spencer, Rory April scene I cut it out the last lake house chapter and then missed it because we don't get alot of grown up kid time so this time in it goes. ahh hindsight and the plus of writing a story with a super long time line :) But otherwise yes, a little sombre, the spectre of Richard still looms very large in their life but feelings plant seeds ;) So next chapter Time for some more new challenges. Hope you enjoy, thank you for reading. Let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 35 – The ups and downs of new**

Lorelai stared at the list in front of her with a creeping dread. With all the running around getting the spa together, the ordering and the hiring; getting the children ready for school had kept slipping. Now 2 days before the school year started she had a small mountain of things to do. The twins were entering 5th Grade and moving across the school campus sports field to the middle school, Sam was entering 1st Grade and Grace was entering Kindergarten. She wasn't sure what scared her more, the twins moving to middle school or Grace starting school. Time seemed to be whizzing by too quickly. It felt like yesterday they were all babies, she had for only the briefest of moments had them all at home to herself as the twins had started kindergarten only a few months after Grace had been born. Sometimes she wished she could control time and she really hated whoever did control time because dammit she demanded a recount.

Her list for today was stationary supply store, then across to the big market for bulk snack purchasing, then she would pick the kids up from the diner where they were all 'helping' Luke to take them shoe and backpack shopping and then haircuts. Tomorrow they would have a quiet day that she was going to make as cuddle filled and as fun as possible. There would be movies, there would be books and she was going to spend a full hour with each of the kids on their own doing what they wanted to do before early night. Monday was back to school day.

She checked over her list and then tucked it into her purse. As she stood she surveyed the chaos of home, some of it was hers, but most of it was the kids; toys, books and games placed around the downstairs along with piles of laundry that hadn't quite made it upstairs. "Later," she muttered waving her hand at the mess. Some things could wait even if they did need doing.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke closed Sam's door and took a step towards the twins' bedroom. He paused as he saw Grace out of bed and stood by her window staring out the window. Knowing that Lorelai would have left their youngest in bed before she started trying to wrangle the twins into bed he gave a frustrated sigh and walked across the landing. "Grace," he said carefully, "you are supposed to be in bed." Grace turned to look at him slowly, her face was solemn, her hands folded behind her back. Luke pointed towards the pink and white bed. Grace looked towards it and then shook her head. "Come on," Grace shook her head again. "Grace its bedtime."

"No," Grace shook her head. "Its fifteen minutes before bedtime," she raised her hand from behind her back and pointed at the pink fluffy analogue clock on her bedside table. She shook her head sadly. "I want to remember while it's still light," she pointed out the window and then looked up at him sadly. "Everything changes from tomorrow."

Luke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had a feeling that Grace was parroting what Lorelai had been saying the last few days but with added child logic or perhaps literalism. "Not really, just you go to school."

"That's not just Daddy," Grace shook her head again. She finally turned away from the window and walked slowly over to him. "School is big," she stopped in front of him and stared up at him, all serious blue-eyed cherubic beauty. "What if no one likes me?"

Luke cringed inwardly. "You'll make friends."

Grace sighed sadly. "I don't know, people like me don't make friends."

"What?" he asked her, his heart felt like it was breaking. He crouched down and regarded her. She was five, only five. How did she know what type of person she was and who the hell told her that she might not make friends?

"I'm like Hermione," she sighed heavily and then walked over to her bed to pick up the book tucked beneath her pillow. "Hermione doesn't have friends."

Luke took the book from her as he stood and shook his head. "One, you're a little young to read Harry Potter and two, you haven't read very far because Hermione ends up being friends with Harry and Ron."

"I'm not a little young!" Grace stared up at him indignantly. "If I can read it I'm not too young!"

"Ability isn't the same as…" he gave a frustrated sigh. "Com'ere," he lifted Grace into his arm and walked her over to the white rocker that was currently buried beneath cuddly toys. He tipped them out and then sat down setting Grace on his knee. "You will find your friends OK. Just be you," he pressed his finger against her lips as he sensed the 'but' about to be thrown at him. "You are smart and kind. A little forceful but you hold your own. Do what you think is…no wait…At recess you do what you think is right. When you work in groups, listen but don't be pushed around. Don't do all the work either," Grace looked at him unconvinced and then flopped her head forward with an exasperated sigh that sounded so like Lorelai he almost laughed. "Most importantly remember you always got your Mom and me and Sam's right there too."

Grace looked up and smiled at him. Silently she cupped his cheeks with her hands and leaned forward giving him a soft kiss on the lips. She sat back on his knee, gave him a soft smile, and then patted his chest. "You're a good boy Daddy."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai fumbled for another tissue in her purse, but she was out. She had been unable to stop sobbing since she turned away from the school. Now she was standing in the middle of 'the back way' sobbing uncontrollably because if she went anywhere else she would be spotted. The Spa was a hive of activity, equipment being delivered, her new staff bedding in and Tom's guys going around doing the snagging list like fixing the urinal in the men's changing room. The thought of the disgusting and gross helped temper the what she felt was frankly ridiculous outpouring of emotion. She was going to see all the kids again in six hours it wasn't like she'd shipped them off to 'Nam.

She pulled her shoulders straight and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Taking a steeling breath, she walked towards the Dragonfly and Amaryllis. She entered the garden area that split the two and walked towards the spa. It looked good from the outside, just the last of the landscaping being finished off. She smiled at the two guys spreading out stone chips and went in through the glass double doors. A mini hive. Tom's guys were hanging a large mirror in the foyer, another had his legs out beneath the reception desk hiding the cables away. Her two front of house staff were busy talking through the pricing structure. She smiled at everyone as she passed. They all gave her worried looks so clearly she looked like a mess.

Despite needing to check everything with the front of house team she turned down the hallway that lead to the gym and slipped through the door. It was empty of people but was full of gleaming machines ready to be sweated all over by crazy people who did exercise. She moved over to the glass wall and stared out. The glass wall had been an extra expense but she had to say it was worth it. They'd positioned all the machines to look out at it, meaning you could feel like you were running or rowing or cycling outside. She moved over to the rowing machine and sat down on the small seat. Clutching her knees to her chest she stared at the foliage beyond the glass and sighed. At least for now it was peaceful.

"Lorelai?"

She turned to look as Arielle slipped into the gym. The young woman held a thermos and a Luke's diner bag. "Luke sent supplies."

"Did he ask you to check up on me?"

"Of course he did," Arielle approached, she crouched down beside Lorelai and held out the bag. "Did they go in OK?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded she looked down at her hands. "Grace was squeezing my hand so tight and then when her class was called in she just looked up at me and went 'It's OK Mommy, I'm me' gave me this big smile and just walked away," she sniffed hard, the tears threatening, "and now I'm a blubbering wreck."

"Good thing you're wearing waterproof mascara," Arielle opened the thermos and poured out a measure of coffee into the lid cup. "The spa looks really great, the same feel as the Inn but different."

"That was what I was going for," Lorelai took the cup and held it in her hand for a moment. "Make sure you get yourself booked in for a treatment. In fact, I want that to be a staff perk. A free treatment a quarter." She took a sip. "I'll have the front desk sort out a voucher scheme."

"OK," Arielle's eyes roved across her face. "You want me to hang around here in case people need anything so you can have…"

"No," Lorelai shook her head firmly. "I need to keep busy. If I'm a very tall bee, time will whiz by and crazy Mommy will vanish." She took another sip of coffee, the warmth spread through her making her feel that teensy bit better. "You'll just have the normal crazy me."

"You aren't that crazy, no more than the rest of us," Arielle stood up from her crouched position. "In fact you seem saner then most people."

"Yes," Lorelai stood up with a soft huff, "but you worked with my husband. My babbles seem so much saner then his rants about feedbags, wifi and manbuns."

"That's true. I've never heard you threaten to take scissors to anything," Arielle smirked. "He threatened to cut a guy's ponytail off."

"That sounds about right," Lorelai shook her head. With a sigh she looked into the bag, 3 sprinkle donuts and a post it note. She drew out the note and read it with a soft shake of her head. "Here, on orders you are to have one," she held out the bag to Arielle and then showed her the note.

"He's sweet."

Lorelai chuckled. "He is going to hate that you said that. He desperately tries to cling on to his curmudgeoness."

"Oh he's curmudgeonly but he's sweet. I mean you and the kids aside. The stuff he does for the town. He's always helping Patty with stuff because he's worried she'll hurt herself and he puts up with Taylor. Taking on Cody after school and at weekends."

"Taking on Cody helps him out," Lorelai pointed out.

"He didn't have to hire him though, he could have hired anyone."

"But you asked," Lorelai pointed out. She waved her hand indicating for Arielle go out of the gym. "Are you still taking commissions?"

"Always, what do you need?" Arielle glanced over her shoulder her face brightening.

"Christmas advertising stuff. I can't be more specific but you know Christmas gift packages, for here and the inn," Lorelai paused in the hallway and stared at the picture on the wall. A suitably zen skyline. "Can I claim dibs on some time and have a think about what we're doing and then we can talk about how much my budget can get."

Arielle nodded eagerly. "Of course," she opened her mouth to say something and then closed it.

"I hire you because I like your stuff and I hire you separate because it's extra to your duties in your contract." Lorelai gave her a pointed look. "I'm not throwing you a bone just because I like you. I mean it helps that you are good at deciphering," she gestured at herself. "Your work is really good and I want the best."

Arielle blushed and looked down at her shoes. "Thanks Lorelai."

"You're welcome," she pulled one of the sprinkle covered donuts out of the bag, "and thank you for being Luke's messenger."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi," Rory smiled brightly at the students sat in neat rows. She had been surprised when she had been offered the chance to run a homeroom given as how she had only just become a confirmed member of staff but she'd taken the opportunity because it was another string to her bow. Her homeroom consisted of 20 freshman students; 8 girls and 12 boys. Half look terrified, a quarter looked excited and the rest bored. "I'm Dr Gilmore. Now I know this isn't technically our room but I want you to think of it as ours, at least for the 20 minutes we have with each other every morning. Other than if I have notices to give you and when I take registration I want you to have this as free time, you can do what you want. Well within the rules of the school," some of the kids gave nervous laughs. "Working on homework is fine, getting ahead on assignments is fine, reading is fine, playing Pokemon, apparently there are some around here, is all fine. I don't mind. I would prefer that if you are listening to music you keep the volume on your headphones to low because we all have different musical tastes. If you want to eat food as long as it doesn't stink up the place then I am cool with that too."

The terrified kids in front of her seemed to relax slightly and she forced herself to keep her smile warm. "Chilton is a special place. It's very particular place. You're going to hear all kinds of things over the next couple of hours. Just remember to breathe and know that I won't ask you for the school motto or charter or song in any kind of language. I've been where you are. Not exactly because I started junior year but I understand the pressures not only to perform well but also about your future plans. So I want you to know that this is your safe haven and that if you have any problems or if you just want someone to talk to I'm here. Not just this twenty minutes but during school hours. Just email me."

She glanced at the clock, they still had ten minutes until the start of assembly and she'd reached the end of her prepared speech. "Now you guys can just relax for a bit. I'm not going to make you stand up and say stuff about yourself however I only have your official names so if you go by a different name let me know." She smiled awkwardly and then looked at her desk. "Oh I can be bribed with good coffee and a variety of junk foods," The kids laughed in response and her nerves eased.

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke gave a soft grunt as he tried to keep the shelving unit balanced on his shoulder as he continued to screw it to the wall. It was surprisingly heavy. April's new home was in a semi state of chaos. It was clean but somewhat expectedly, April had discovered she didn't have enough shelf space for her books or storage for her equipment. He had one cabinet after this to construct and then he was done. He wanted to get home. Lorelai had been tearful all week over the kids all being in school and even though she herself had said it was dumb, she hadn't been able to shake it.

He frowned as he realised that April had been talking to him. "What?"

"Thanks Dad, nice to know I'm boring you," April groused good-naturedly as she continued filling one cabinet with her conservation gear. "I was just talking about everything I'm gonna be doing. Are you OK?"

"This is…No got it," Luke sighed in relief as finally the screw tacked and he was able to seat it correctly

"Lorelai?"

"Huh?" he set the shelf down on the bracket and stepped away carefully.

April studied him over the top of her glasses. "You're worried about Lorelai," she nodded towards her cellphone on the counter. "She's upset over the kids and stressed with the spa opening. Her messages have got very emojiied."

"Yeah," Luke nodded staring at the screwdriver as so to not give away his true feelings. He was worried about Lorelai and he had a feeling that something more was going on than the kids being in school and the spa. He just didn't know what and he didn't want to bring it up and upsetting her.

"It's just a bad week. It's not like Rory or anything. She'll perk up in a little bit. Let her get over the opening and then everything will be fine."

"Dr is in session," Luke smirked.

April rolled her eyes and then scrunched her shoulders in delight. "The doctorate is 4 years away," she shrugged again. "I know Lorelai; just keep sending her coffee and donuts."

"She told you about that?"

"Yup!" April nodded and then moved to another box. "I'm sure a bacon cheeseburger wouldn't go amiss either."

"I'm not ordering her pizza though," Luke shook his head. He walked over to help her with the books "How do you think a caramel apple pie would go down?"

"I doubt Maisy has any left now but I'm sure if you ask for one tomorrow she'll make you one special." she tipped her head. "You know for someone who crows about healthy eating and whatnot you sure cave to her cravings pretty quick."

"Yeah, well," Luke self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well," April mocked him with a grin. "Lets get this finished quick and you can get back quick. I'll message Maisy for you."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai looked down as Luke slide a plate of spaghetti and meatballs towards her. She looked up at him in confusion.

"You didn't eat enough," he muttered quietly.

"You're always on at me to eat less, and I can't eat my stomach is all butterflies and hurricanes," she looked back at her work and then turned to look at him. "Why did I do this again? You should have smacked me round the head. How could I have forgotten how crazy stressful it is?"

"At least you're not sleeping with vegetables again," Luke sat down beside her cautiously pushing a cup of tea towards her.

"When did I sleep with vegetables? And I'm not drinking that. I've told you tea is gross," she shifted her papers away from the mug. "Oh I slept with zucchini and if you remember that you should remember that I need the coffee for the functioning as a human being. My functionality is failing. I need an update!"

"You're not having coffee at 9.30 at night. You'll never get to sleep," Luke lamented.

"Who's sleeping?"

"You need to sleep."

Lorelai gestured at the paperwork. "I repeat who's sleeping and you forget I'm super human with coffee. I need ten times the amount of normal people to affect me. I can drink coffee in the middle of the night and be able to sleep," she smirked as Luke shook his head in disgust. "I just need to get this done. I will be in bed by midnight I promise. Sleep keeps me pretty remember, or at least tries to keep what's left of the pretty."

Luke pressed his lips together and then sighed heavily. "Crazy lady!"

She looked up at him and smiled softly, he wore an expression that read extreme exhaustion and adoration. It was a look that only he ever seemed to be able to pull off. "You'd be bored if I was any other way."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mom," Lorelai opened the door of the spa and pulled Emily inside. "You're late!"

"There was traffic," Emily protested. Her annoyance at being manhandled dissipated, as she took in the foyer of the building, resplendent in deep brown and gold with a wonderful scent in the air. "Aren't I watching the children for you?"

"No, they're with April."

Lorelai pulled her further into the building, passed a young woman with strangely coloured-in eyebrows and the straightest hair she had ever seen. "Lorelai?"

"Ok, so you were asking and I kept saying something vague which I know you hate but now it's opening and you can see," Lorelai reeled off rapidly, "and I figured opening was probably the one time I could actually get you here," Lorelai pulled her towards the staircase.

Emily pulled her hand out of Lorelai's tight grip. "I can walk up the stairs myself, you will do me an injury if you try and pull me."

"Yeah, I guess" Lorelai glanced at her and then practically ran up the steps.

"Honestly Lorelai where's the fire?"

"Don't say that. I don't want a fire. Oh god candles were a mistake," Lorelai babbled staring at a selection of lit candles in anger. "Naked flames what was I thinking?"

Emily climbed to the top of the stairs and shook her head. "Calm down, you're going to do spontaneously combust if you are not careful," she tried to make eye contact with Lorelai, but Lorelai seemed unable to hold her focus on anything for more than a second. "So what is this?"

"Oh the treatment waiting area," Lorelai gestured to the light grey sofa. She grabbed at Emily's hand again and pulled her over. "And this, is the menu," she bent down and then handed it to Emily.

Emily took the menu and stared at the list of treatment. "I'm not sure what half of these are but it looks impressive."

"Oh," Lorelai's face fell slightly, "well pick one of the ones you do want. Only for half an hour though, unless you want the masses seeing you in a bathrobe. I'll get Dinita. Her massages are really good," she spun away and walked towards one of the golden oak doors.

Emily blinked rapidly in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"Wow, flashback!" Lorelai shuddered as she came to a halt.

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to pick one," Lorelai stared at her, looking equally confused. "Did I not say that to you? Everyone's getting a treatment. Rory and April have both been through, I had a mani pedi," she held out her hands showing gold polish on most of her nails and a dark brown polish on her ring finger. "Luke's in there right now getting a back massage," she pointed at the other door. "Then we open at 1pm for people to have a wander round, maybe sign up a few people to the gym. Dinita and Jaime will do head massages and hand massages and…" she trailed off, her eyes wide with nervousness. "What?"

"You invited me here to take part in your opening?" Emily whispered quietly.

"Don't sound so surprised. I had you at the inn opening. You and Da…it just didn't go so well," she smiled weakly. "If you don't want a treatment you don't have to have one. I just thought you might like to see it, seeing as how if it wasn't for you following Dad's wishes I wouldn't have had the money to do this." Lorelai looked sheepishly at the floor.

"I am very grateful for the offer of a treatment but I would much rather enjoy a tour if that is acceptable. If I'm shut away in a little room I don't get to see all your hard work" The smile that bloomed across Lorelai's face was the most marvellous sight.

"OK," Lorelai bounced on her heels, "so upside down back to front tour. This is the treatment area." Lorelai held her hands out to show the small tranquil waiting area. "This," she beckoned Emily back towards the door, "is one of the treatment rooms and Dinita. Dinita this is my Mom Emily Gilmore."

Emily peered into the space, a room filled with all manners of things yet still managed to be peaceful. The tiny woman stood by the counter bowed her head at Emily.

"Mom doesn't want a treatment, so just carry on with whatever you were doing, or have a break. Whatever you need to do to feel prepared for when the hordes hopefully descend," Lorelai smiled at Dinita and then beckoned to Emily to follow her back down the staircase. "So here we have changing room 1, aka the spa changing rooms and there are lockers and stuff." Lorelai lead Emily through the small but exquisitely appointed changing room "and through here we have our steam, sauna and plunge pool. Do not go in there because holy moly is that icy!" Lorelai pointed into the 5ft diameter plunge pool.

Emily paused and peered down into the pool. The tile was an illusion of iridescent glass tile gradating down to black making it look like you were jumping into the deepest hole.

"And back through, I won't take you through the guys changing room, it's basically the same," Lorelai wittered as they moved back through the changing area. They crossed behind the desk area and down the hallway on the opposite side. "So changing room 2 or the stinky gym one, pretty similar except we have extra showers, and then through here is the gym," Lorelai held open the door for her.

Emily slipped into the large space and gave an involuntary gasp; the glass window had an almost cathedral like feel to it. "It seems a shame to waste this beautiful space on gym equipment."

Lorelai chuckled. "I know, right?"

Emily glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes, Lorelai looked proud and nervous, a bundle of energy ready to explode. "It's a wonderful property in general Lorelai."

"Thanks Mom," Lorelai raised her shoulders in delight. "Come get a coffee from the super fancy machine."

Emily followed Lorelai out into the foyer barely able to keep up with what Lorelai was saying owing to her daughter's speed of speech. At the base of the stairs, they found Luke whose eyes seemed to have trouble focusing but Lorelai whizzed past him talking a mile a minute about something. Emily nodded in amusement at Luke. "You enjoyed your treatment?"

"Huh? I mean yeah it was…I um…she…I'm not sure what she did."

"Make sure you drink plenty, water not coffee," Emily smiled and then returned her gaze to Lorelai who had seemed to abandon her quest for coffee and was shifting brochures about trying to make perfect fans in the small waiting area. "The spa is wonderful, don't you think?"

"She's done good," Luke voice became clearer now that he had a focal point.

"She'll calm down after todays over," Emily told him quietly. "I'll tell her that I'm pro…what I think later…I don't want to put her off her stride right now" she almost whispered as Lorelai whizzed around the space double checking everything as outside familiar faces began to gather to wish Lorelai success on her new venture.


	36. There's No Pressing Pause

**AN - THanks everyone, yeah, I so wish Rory had taken up the Chilton offer, teaching seems a far better fit for her then journalism, in the revival she seemed so calm and interested during her talk to the students and then the rest of the time floundering, ah the joys of AU's. Luke and the massage I know. I cut a scene because I was basically replicating what happened with Lorelai and Emily and that one felt like it had more heft. Basically manic Lorelai shanghaied him :) plus he can't really say no to the women in his life. Thanks for reading guys, here's the next one. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 36 – There's No Pressing Pause**

"Why do they never tell us what it's about when they call these meetings?" Luke groused as he and Lorelai headed up the steps and into the elementary school.

"It's a secret teacher thing obviously," Lorelai told him. She fiddled with the clasp on her purse and then forced the brightest of smiles on her face when she reached the reception area. "Hi Mr and Mrs Danes for Miss Leavey," the receptionist picked up the phone and Lorelai glanced at Luke. He looked morose. Sometimes it bugged her how much he was unable to hide on his face what was wrong. He was worried that it was like with Kitty, being called in because the school thought there was something wrong with one of her children. Not that being dyslexic was anything wrong, it was just different, and Kitty did fine with the extra tools she had been given.

While she was mildly worried to be called in she couldn't see how it could be anything like that with Sam or Grace, both of them read well beyond the level required for their age. She wondered if it was possibly to do with Grace and making friends, she'd had a few playdates with new classmates but had seemed entirely nonplussed about the events.

Vice Principal Leavey finally arrived at the main door to let them in and they made small talk as they walked to her small office. The teacher seemed to take an age to get herself sorted which made Lorelai want to yell at her to hurry up but instead she busied herself picking bobbles from the cuff of Luke's flannel, much to his annoyance.

"Thanks so much for coming in," the Vice Principal gushed.

"Why are we here? is there a problem?" Luke asked sitting forward.

"Not in a sense," the woman pulled a file from a tray. "I've invited you in because we need to talk about Grace."

"What about her?" Lorelai sat up straight. She could feel her heckles rise that her baby might be about to be attacked in some way.

The Vice Principal smiled. "Grace is a very clever little girl, very clever. She reads better than most of the kids in the second grade and her mathematical skills and verbal skills are very good, beyond good actually. More than what we have seen with Sam and Willow. We don't feel that Kindergarten is the right place for her. She's already bored."

"So where is the right place?" Luke asked.

"We'd like to try her in the first grade."

"First grade, but she's a June baby. She's going to be younger than some of those kids by almost two years!" Lorelai sat forward in alarm. It wasn't that she didn't like the idea of having another super brainy child but Grace was young for her Kindergarten class, and she certainly played up to the baby of the family when she needed or wanted something. "Plus Sam."

"We've observed Grace gravitate to her brother during recess, and Sam and his group of friends were very accepting of her. We're not concerned about her being younger, in fact Grace seems to get on better with the older children. Not uncommon in youngest children," the teacher smiled. "We'd like your permission to try her out in the class next week."

"And if she doesn't get on with it?" Luke sat forward.

"If it doesn't pan out we can discuss further options at the end of the week," Miss Leavey smiled at him, "but I don't think we'll have a problem."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hello everyone."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows at her mother actually opening the front door of the house for Friday Night Dinner. "Hi Mom, Berta chained to the stove?"

"No, she has the evening off," Emily stepped back to let the kids in and kissed them each in turn. "With Rory at Gigi's school function and as April and Luke aren't here I just had her collect few things from the deli."

"Floor picnic?" Kitty asked hopefully.

"No," Emily shook her head, "the food is laid out buffet style. We will eat at the table as usual."

"Oh," Kitty pouted in disappointment.

"I don't think you'll feel like that when you go through," Emily smiled conspiratorially at her granddaughter.

Lorelai watched in bemusement as Emily seized the twin's hands and pulled them excitedly towards the dining room. Since coming home from the lake house there had been something different in her Mom and she could not quite place what it was. Lorelai took Sam and Grace's and set them on the back of the chair by the door. On the roundtable was a selection of leaflets and she tried to take a look before excited squealing sounded from the twins and Sam and Grace rushed to see. Lorelai followed and then stopped in awe as she took in the buffet complete with a chocolate fountain. "Mom?"

"I wasn't sure what everyone would like and Berta will make use of everything, she's very active in her church group so nothing will be wasted apart from the chocolate in the fountain."

"Nuh uh Grandma, I want to swim in it," Kitty stared at the fountain in excitement.

"Main course first and no being sick," Lorelai tugged on the long braid hanging down Kitty's back "You know my rule, self induced, self clean up."

"It won't be self induced if I do it in the car," Kitty grinned at her cheekily, "then it will be your driving."

"If you eat a gallon of chocolate before you get in the car that is self induced," Lorelai kissed her on the forehead.

"Now, I say we just dive into dinner" Emily ushered Willow and Sam towards the start of the table. "I had Berta make signs so you know what everything is."

"Did you just buy the entire deli Mom?" Lorelai studied the spread again, it really did look like they were just missing the glass sneeze guard and hipster servers.

"Not at all. I had her buy the items she thought the children would like so there is nothing too spicy or fishy," Emily handed Kitty a plate.

Beside her Grace made an excited squeak. Lorelai looked down to get a reference point on what had excited her and found that Grace was staring at the table. In was what was 'Grace's' place sat a small gift. "Mom?"

Emily turned and looked and gave Lorelai a beaming smile and then turned her attention to Grace. "Just a little something to say well done for being promoted to first grade," Grace bounced silently. "Yes Gracie you may open it."

Grace hopped over to the table and grabbed the small parcel. She studied it for a moment, finding the best paper seam to pick apart before carefully tearing open the paper to reveal a giant novelty star shaped eraser that read _You're a star_. Grace took it all in and gave Emily a beaming smile. "Thank you Granma"

"You're welcome, it's just a little thing," Emily looked momentarily pleased and then turned her attention to helping Sam with his plate.

Grace studied the eraser for a moment longer then handed it up to Lorelai and then with a little skip joined the rest of the children and Emily at the buffet table. Lorelai turned the eraser in her hands. It was just a little thing but it brought her youngest joy. Emily turned to look at her, her mother's mouth pursed to ask why she wasn't partaking in the buffet, Lorelai forced herself to smile and set the eraser down beside Grace's place. "Just giving everyone a moment Mom."

Emily studied her, her dark eyes scanning up and down her. "Well make sure you eat properly, you look a little pale," Emily shimmied her shoulders. "You're not overdoing it are you with the spa?"

"No Mom I'm not," Lorelai stepped forward to take her plate. "I have a great team at the spa, it's just end of the week."

"As long as that is all it is," Emily gave her an unconvinced look before glancing at the buffet. "Try some of the sliced ham, it's delicious."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke looked up in surprise as Lorelai, Willow, and Grace clattered into the diner. They were not supposed to be here, usually after Kitty had been dropped at her ice dancing Lorelai took the kids home. It was like clockwork, and today was not the day for the clock to be breaking. It had taken him two weeks to peg Taylor down and the old town busybody was due to arrive any minute. It was bad enough that Sam was here but at least he knew with Sam he could swear him to secrecy and he would stay silent on what he had planned.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"Oh yeah," Sam mumbled beside him. The little boy gave an apologetic smile. "I forgot."

"How can you forget celebratory donuts?" Lorelai peered over the counter at her little boy in mock horror. "We are here for celebratory donuts," Lorelai informed Luke, "because Sam and Grace both aced their spelling test…"

"Grace did so well, she didn't even have time to study and she got them all right," Sam gushed excitedly. "She didn't even have to take it."

"Yes indeed Gracie Lou is knocking it out of the park," Lorelai smoothed her hand over Grace's hair. "As is Sam the Man, and Little Miss Willow here got an A+ on her story and got accepted to be one of the youth first aiders. Mommy is celebrating because she hit gym membership targets for the first month a week early. We're going to get an extra donut for Kitty because she is apparently going to nail something called a loop jump which sounds painful. So sprinkle donuts all round."

"Good job guys," Luke reached for a diner bag beneath the counter.

"We can just eat them here," Lorelai told him giving him a strange look.

"Oh…" Luke's eyes fixed on Taylor as the man strode towards the diner from the direction of his store. "Right… I…"

Lorelai turned to look where he was. When she turned back she wore an expression of sympathy. "Oh no, are you about to be Taylored. He looks like he means business."

"Yeah, just give me a second," Luke threw the bag on the counter and rushed around the counter. He cleared the room in four strides and flew out of the diner almost colliding with Taylor who was about to step up. "Taylor."

"Where's the fire Luke?"

"Lorelai's here," Luke muttered trying to push Taylor away from the diner but in a way that their faces could not be seen so there was no danger of any lip-reading taking place.

"I'm not allowed to speak with your wife?" Taylor wheedled as he tried to shrug out of Luke's grip. "You called this meeting Lucas. Begged for it."

"And I need it but not when Lorelai is here. Because it's for her and I want it to be a surprise," Luke told Taylor. Taylor stopped fighting him and obediently walked past the window of the diner before turning to look at him with an expectant look on his face. "It's for our anniversary. We didn't get to…" he paused as he sensed someone approaching behind him. He looked over his shoulder and found Willow slinking towards him. Evidently, Lorelai was sending spies out of curiosity. "Can I come find you?"

"Of course Luke," Taylor waggled his eyebrows. "I look forward to our discussion with interest."

"Thanks Taylor," Luke mumbled weakly. He turned as Taylor walked away and looked at his daughter. "What did she promise you?"

"That I could have whatever Sam and Grace didn't finish," Willow blushed crimson at being caught out.

"Well tough. I'm giving them half each because that is all they ever eat," Luke waved his hand at her to get her to move. Willow held firm for a moment. "What did you hear?"

"You're doing something special for Mommy," Willow looked up at him curiously. "Can I help? I want to do something special for Mommy."

Luke sighed and then gave a faint nod; having the kids on his side may be easier just as long so they didn't spoil his plans.

* * *

 **xXx**

"I am done," Gigi flopped onto the couch beside Rory. "Why do I have so much homework?"

"8th grade. They're getting you ready for high school. Sometimes with high school if your schedule sucks you can end up with 6 hours of homework a night," Rory told her not looking up from her pile of marking.

"6 hours! That's criminal!" Gigi gasped.

"That's AP classes," Rory sighed. She looked up from her marking, regretting it instantly as a jolt of pain coursed through her neck. "Man, what time is it?"

"I dunno," Gigi shrugged ."Can we watch TV?"

"Sure, but I retain veto power. We may have 900 channels but…"

"I know, I know," Gigi seized the remote and started to channel surf. "Office reruns?"

"Possible," Rory nodded. "Wait go back," she ordered. Gigi clicked back a channel landing on an image of a nattily dressed Ted Danson. "Oh I think this is the show some of the kids in school were talking about."

"What's it about?" Gigi asked sitting up in interest.

"A girl dies and is sent to heaven except it's mistake identity or something," Rory sat forward her marking forgotten. The pair sat absorbing in the show, laughing and sniggering when appropriate. As soon as the credits started to roll Rory grabbed the remote checking on the info screen what episode it was. "Ok, plan for the weekend we find and catch up on what we've missed."

"Def!" Gigi nodded eagerly. "I think I love Chidi Mom."

"Me too and I want Tahani's dresses," Rory nodded ."Oh, it's on the plus 1 channel we can watch the whole episode."

"Sold," Gigi giggled. "You know Glama could make you a dress like that if you asked."

"I know, but I'd also need an extra few inches of leg to pull it off," Rory muted the tv.

Gigi nodded in agreement. "Her bangs would suit you. Not her's but that style."

"I used to have bangs when I was in college," Rory flattened her hair. "It's so much extra work."

"I guess," Gigi fluffed her own hair. "I'm gonna see where we can catch up. Call me when it starts."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke dropped his keys into the bowl on the table by the front door with a weary sigh. Since Arielle had stopped working following her promotion at the inn he'd found the close down of the diner a chore, his still current employees just weren't up to her level of stamina which meant he was back to carrying most of the slack. It had been a nice break that he'd gotten used to. The downstairs was empty, unusual that Lorelai was neither working or hunkered down to watch tv. He was pretty sure there was some trashy tv show she liked to watch on a Thursday and it wouldn't have finished already, only a couple weeks into the Fall schedule.

Tiredly he climbed the stairs, it was quiet, just the sounds of the kids asleep. Making his way into the bedroom he was surprised that there was no laundry on the bed, one of the usual reasons that Lorelai would be upstairs at a still relatively early time. Not only that but she wasn't there. The bathroom door was open slightly and the light on so he assumed that was where she was. He moved to say hi when he trod on a small cardboard box. He grumbled into his chest and bent down to pick it up. Lorelai was always missing the waste basket. A flush of surprised panic coursed through him as he read the box and he pushed open the door.

She was sat on the closed toilet lid her eyes swollen from tears, staring down at the contents of the box in her hand.

"Lorelai?"

She took a moment to respond. Her head moved so slowly it looked painful. Her eyes were bloodshot. "I'm not pregnant," she whispered. In disgust she threw the slim plastic pregnancy test away from her; it skittered into the bath.

"Why were you…"

"I missed another period," Lorelai whispered cutting him off.

"Another?"

"I missed last month but I was so stressed with the Spa and everything I didn't really notice and then I realised I haven't had one in ten weeks," her face dropped into her hands.

"But you're not…"

"I wish I was," Lorelai mumbled bitterly cutting him of as she brought her head back up. "Don't you get what this means?"

Luke stared at her for a moment and then it hit him. "Oh. Oh, right."

"I'm one step away from the grave. I mean I'm basically the crypt keeper. Just a dried-up old husk."

"Hey." He stepped forward slowly and then crouched down in front of her. "Don't say that. All that matters it that you're OK. Is there something that you should be eating special or some supplements?"

"I don't know," Lorelai shook her head. She ran her hands through her hair, when she drew her fingers out of her hair, her shoulders slouched forward and she looked at him forlornly. "I don't want to be old."

"You're not old." Luke placed his hand on her knee, his thumb lightly stroking the side of her leg.

"This means I'm old. If I were an animal, I would be taken for slaughter. I'm useless. I'm just this old, disgusting, usele…"

Luke leaned up and silenced her with a kiss. She pushed him away, when he leaned back she was crying softly. "Lorelai?"

"I just…I…" she buried her face in her hands.

Unsure what to do Luke stroked her leg for a minute, but when her crying became stronger he leaned forward and pulled her towards him. She slid across the closed toilet seat and he cradled her in his arms as he sat back. She turned into his shoulder and clung to him and her sobs became harder still. Completely at a loss as to what to do and knowing that nothing he would say would provide any comfort he held her. He held her long after her tears had stopped, long after his legs had gone numb until finally she lifted her head and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank you" she whispered croakily.

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai slid out of the minivan and crossed to the gate of her mother's house. The blue sign on the gate felt like yet another smack in the face. Actually more like a punch. From Mike Tyson.

Her mother was selling the house?

She turned back to look at the grey stone building. It was two things to her, the prison that had kept her locked up and a place in recent years that had become the home she'd always wished it could be. Her children had enlivened her parents like she had never imagined. Her father playing ticklemonster with the children. Emily filling the mantle with photographs. Filling the bedrooms with places for them to stay. Activities that in her twenties and early thirties she never would have imagined.

She crossed to the door her feet feeling even more impossibly leaden. Berta opened the door before she even had a chance to push the bell. The maid smiled excitedly at her and motioned towards the dining room. Lorelai walked slowly and paused in the archway between the foyer and the dining room. Emily had what looked like every china set she owned out on the table her attention on a clipboard. "Mom. You're selling the house?"

Emily jumped in surprise, "Lorelai?" she shook her shoulders composing herself, "you frightened me."

"You're selling the house," Lorelai repeated.

"Yes," Emily gave a wistful smile. "Now that April has gone, and after what Sam said about the lake house I decided it was time. He's too here. Not that I want to get over your father but this was a house for a happier time. I can't be happy here. I'm sure you understand that feeling."

Lorelai quirked her eyebrows to show agreement with the statement. She took a step into the room and stared down at the china sets. "So you're clearing out?"

"Oh yes, the three properties I'm interested in are much smaller. Also, I don't host dinner parties any longer. Nowadays it's just the first wives and old widows club. Terribly depressing. Certainly no singing down a street," Emily shook her head. "Do you want a set? This one is French 19th century"

"No Mom I'm good" Lorelai studied the ornate patterned porcelain. "You watched First Wives Club?"

"What?" Emily looked up from her clipboard. "Oh, yes, with April. Your doing I suppose? Certainly much better then all those walking corpses and space shows she likes. Though there was one I enjoyed. The name alludes me, something about Mars and Earth, there is a character in it that April thinks is my spirit animal. Which is the most ridiculous notion, but she has wonderful costumes and doesn't take any prisoners."

"Sounds like you Mom," Lorelai smiled weakly. She swallowed. Something akin to nausea washed over her and she sank into the chair beside the table.

"Lorelai?" Emily strode towards her. "Are you ill?"

"No, not ill," Lorelai shook her head. She could feel her tears beginning to well in her eyes. She bit her lip trying to stop them. She had been a babbling mess over Luke there was no way she was going to do was sob all over her Mom. "Just a bit of everything and um…"

"Lorelai?"

"I'm fine Mom, it's just you know. Grace starting school and then her being put up a grade and…" she paused, "batteries running out on clocks and…everything seems to be going so quickly and I'm not ready for it."

Emily tipped her head studying her intently. Her brow creased as she tried to decipher. Finally she issued a soft, "oh," she pulled out the seat alongside Lorelai. "You and Luke didn't want any more children though."

"Of course not, it's crazy mental with 4, well 6 but shared babies 4. I don't like having options closed to me and I really hate getting old. I mean, I could pretend before, it's not wrinkles, it's laughter lines but this…it's a 2 by 4 to the noggin. Doink you're old!" Lorelai sighed heavily. "I saw my gynaecologist she suggested I speak with you, as mother's experience can be a good indicator of how…if you had any problems or bone density or something."

"I had to take additional vitiamin D," Emily answered softly, "but you take after your father's side, they always had heart problems. Your father had knee problems but that was because of his weight."

"Don't get fat, check, got it," Lorelai rested her elbow on the table and then her rested her cheek on her palm. "Nothing major then?"

"No," Emily shook her head. "Once you get over the worst of it, it's actually very freeing and you save a fortune on sanitary products and no need to worry about destroying underwear."

"Well that's a plus," Lorelai smiled weakly.

Emily looked down at her hands and turned faintly pink. "Invest in lubricants," she whispered barely audibly

Lorelai blinked not sure that she had understood. "What?"

"Don't make me say it again," Emily looked at her pleadingly.

Lorelai stared at her mother and then grimaced as she realised with her mother had just said.

"Berta can give you bleach should you wish to bleach your eyes," Emily gave her a wry smile.

Lorelai snorted in amusement. "That would make getting home tough." She touched the plates in front of her. "Speaking of which. Where are you moving too?"

"Well," Emily looked sheepish. "I'm looking at a few properties," she stood and crossed to the table in the foyer and came back with a clear plastic folder.

Lorelai took the folder and leafed through the properties, 3 in all. At a quick glance perfectly respectable upper class yet traditional houses but ones at least half the size of the mansion. The leaflet in the centre caught her eye. She pulled it out and stared at the house in mildly horrified fascination. A four bedroom red brick property on Peach Street, Stars Hollow. Lorelai turned the details towards Emily. "Stars Hollow?"

Emily clasped her hands. "It's a possibility."

"It's the only one with financial workings out scribbled on it," Lorelai frowned as she took in the very clean other pages. "Do you want to live in Stars Hollow? I thought you hated it."

"It's not my cup of tea but it's a perfectly lovely, if odd little town. I'm 74 Lorelai and…" she looked down. "I don't know how much time I have left or what else might be coming and I would like to spend what time I do have with my family. I won't get in your way but I would like to spend more time with the children, at the very least I can attend all their functions. And now Rory is living there also," She ran her hand along the table. "There is nothing to really keep me in Hartford anymore. Most of my friends are dying off. The most common function I attend these days are funerals." She rolled her eyes. "And you think you're stage of life is a problem."

"Different kind of permanence I guess,"

"At least you still talk," Emily pressed her lips together.

"I thought you wanted me to shut up," Lorelai smiled weakly.

Emily gave a light chuckle, "sometimes. But silence with you is never a good thing," she reached over and took the property details from Lorelai. "May I put an offer in?"

"You'll respect my boundaries, no just popping in?" Lorelai asked carefully. Emily scoffed in annoyance but gave a firm nod. Lorelai inhaled deeply, hoping that what came out of her mouth next did not come back and bite her in the ass later. "Well, if you think it's the right house for you. Go for it."


	37. Eleven Years in the Life

**AN - Thank you so much guys. Glad you like the idea of Emily moving to the Hollow, everyones clocks are ticking and it makes for priority reassessing. As much as I loved Emily's journey in the AYITL the Nantucket thing I found a little odd, it's so far away and so hard to get too, but never mind. Pleased you like the dramatic Lorelai and also the ease in the relationship between her and Emily. Now I'm breaking my posting rule, I like to have 3 chapters written before I post the first but this one needs to be posted today because NOVEMBER 5th BABY. And we are at November 2016 in this story timeline so it's their wedding day, except they've been married for 11 years. Anyhoos, the next chapter might be a little later than usual (I basically lost a week because I had an essay to write) but here to tide you over is some anniversary fluff/smultz/teensy bit of smutt talk. I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading, let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 37 – Eleven Years in the Life**

"Lookie, look, look!"

Lorelai thrust a sheet of bluey green paper close in to his face making him go cross eyed. He snatched it away from her bringing it to a distance he could read it. Luke kept his face stony but inside he smiled; he could not believe he was thinking this but 'Thank God for Taylor Doose'. The flyer in his hand was the fake flyer designed only for Lorelai so that she thought all the hubbub in town was in relation to the now cancelled Dance Marathon and not for what he had planned on the upcoming Saturday. Taylor had assured him that he would make sure that everyone knew what was going on and it was a now the official town secret. "Great," he mumbled shoving it back at her forcefully.

"Seeing as how you are a useless when it comes to taking part in town events, I'm going to ask Taylor if I can dance with a team. Get the kids involved. Do them in shifts. You think he'll let me knowing they are just babies?" Lorelai wriggled on her seat excitedly.

"Don't force them," Luke rolled his eyes, "and are you sure you're up to it?" he winced knowing he'd said the wrong thing by the way she sucked in her cheeks. "I mean I don't want you overdoing things. You've had so much going on with the spa."

"Nice save. I thought you were alluding to my turning to dust phase," Lorelai scowled. "That really shouldn't stop anything. Besides. It will be fun." She wriggled her shoulders. "I need coffee. I'm super tired today. so biggest cup, extra strong with an extra shot of caffeine."

Luke turned and poured the same amount of coffee he always poured into her favourite mug and turned at pushed it in front of her. She twisted her lips in frustration. "You know apples have more caffeine. Eat some fruit once in a while."

"OK. I'll have a slice of apple pie then," Lorelai smiled cheekily at him. "Not what you meant?"

"No," Luke shook his head. "How about a chicken salad to take back to work?"

"Chuck a few fries in there and you are on."

Luke rolled his eyes. "They'd be cold by the time you get back."

"I don't mind cold fries," Lorelai shrugged. "If I go nail down Taylor what should I say?" She lifted the blue coffee mug and took a sip and then held it in her finger tips peering over the mug at him.

"I dunno," Luke shrugged. "Just annoy him till he agrees with what you want."

"Go old school. I like it!" she took another sip of coffee. "Oh, I've taken on a personal trainer, kind of. He's on retainer. You want me to set something up for you? With the whole keeping the physique thing."

Luke instinctively straightened his posture. He'd done pretty well at keeping up the trim physique he'd managed to get on his trip with April in the summer, but with the cold setting in, there were heavier meals and less running around outside after the kids. "Yeah, that would be good."

"Done Hon. I'll be back in ten minutes to pick up my lunch. I'm going to go annoy Taylor." She swivelled around in her seat and then hopped off the stool.

"Kay," Luke muttered as she trotted out the diner. When the door closed he reached for the handset on the wall and dialled the number that was becoming all too familiar. "Taylor it's Luke, Lorelai's coming to find you. That flyer worked, she's going to come bug you about dancing with the kids as a team…Yeah…I'd appreciate that… Get Kirk to do what?...That is a great idea. Thanks Taylor."

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily rifled through the racks of children's clothes for something she thought appropriate for the scenario Luke had given her. A function outside in November could be inordinately tricky; it could be bright and sunny, it could be raining or it could be snowing. Sam's outfit had been easy, a smart waistcoat over a shirt and smart pants and she'd managed to find him a lovely overcoat should the weather be inclement. The girls were a little bit harder, making them match was a little bit twee, they weren't bridesmaids after all but there needed to have some kind of cohesion and their styles were diverging somewhat as they got older.

As she pushed through the rack of very nice but plain dresses something caught her eye. Her eyebrows rose in delight and instantly a design filled her mind. She strode over to the rack of fake fur zip jackets, they would be perfect and the girls would love them. Best of all three colours, white, fawn and pink. Pink for Grace obviously, and white was probably safest with Willow leaving Kitty with the fawn. She turned back to the plain dresses she had been looking at, black or a silvery grey. With thick tights and some ballet pumps the girls would look spectacular and the fawn colour of Kitty's coat would match the gold tones of Sam's waistcoat.

She took a step back and rifled for her cellphone. Device in hand she positioned the outfit she'd selected for Grace snapped a picture and sent it to the group chat that April had set up for Luke. She repeated it twice more. When the last picture hit she got a response back from the rest in the group. The general consensus was perfect.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Well, well, well, fancy finding you here."

Lorelai turned around from the desk of the spa where she had been busy talking with her latest receptionist. She'd already lost one to a fulltime gig and this one was not really picking anything up. She frowned at Kirk. "Fancy finding me in my business?"

"Not even practising, it's going to be a walk in the park especially as you are only dancing with little kids. I am going to crush you," Kirk continued holding his shoulders straight.

Lorelai stared blankly at the man and then rolled her eyes. Normally she would be down for a little trash talk with her dance marathon rival but she had the beginnings of a headache and owing to the million little annoyances that had cropped up over the last few days at the inn she had had no time to prepare or get around to sorting a costume for herself or the kids. Apparently all her staff had dropped a bunch of IQ points and things that they would normally handle were being passed to her. "Kirk I'm busy right now."

"Being a loser."

"Kirk," Lorelai snapped. "Really, not now. Unless you have actual business at the spa or the inn can we just table this for later, when, you know, I have time, and patience."

Kirk studied her for a moment, his shoulders dropped out of their straight position, rolling forward and he transformed from confident looking man in his late thirties to man child. "Do you have any Christmas packages left?" his voice dropped to a whisper. "I think Lulu would like it."

Lorelai smiled despite the annoyance he'd just caused her. "We have a some left, and Lulu won't like it, she'll love it. We have the Silver package which is $50 and gets you 2 half hour treatments , the Gold is $120 dollars and is for 2 hour treatments and use of the sauna and steam rooms and either lunch or afternoon tea in the Dragonfly or there is the Platinum package which is $220 which is the full works, any four treatments, use of all facilities, lunch and afternoon tea"

Kirk fumbled in his pockets pulling out a wad of cash, a bag of coins and a card. "Can I get the Platinum? There's £150 on this," he set down a prepaid credit card. "And then there's $65," he set 3 twenty dollar bills and a five on the counter and then fumbled with the coins counting out the quarters and dimes he needed to make up the $5. "There you go," he shoved the silver coins across the desk. "220 dollars." He shot her a sideways look. "I'm still going to crush you though."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory opened the apartment door to her Grandmother and took a step back. "Hi Grandma."

"Hello Sweetheart," Emily gave her a soft kiss and then held up her arms indicating the bags in her arms. "Where should I put these?"

"My room," Gigi sounded from the couch. "Everything is in the bedrooms in case Glama pops in,"

"I got them," Rory took the bags from Emily and quickly moved to Gigi's bedroom putting them in the small space. The bedrooms of the tiny apartment had become storage for the party. Luke had taken to stowing everything in here, each day turning up with something else. At least he had shanghaied Miss Patty to store the larger items and Taylor was carrying out his part of the charade with such aplomb that if you didn't know any better you would really think that annual Dance Marathon was in fact going ahead.

She rejoined her daughter and Grandmother, both were in a deep conversation about their own outfits and Rory quietly sat beside Gigi waiting for an in into the conversation. When there was a momentary pause, she took her chance. "How is the house sale going Grandma?"

Emily sat up and pressed her lips together. "My purchase is going well, the sale is tedious. Some kind of covenant owing to its historical nature. The lawyers are dealing with it, but all things being equal I should move into my new property in two weeks."

"We'll be practically neighbours," Rory showed her delight by scrunching her shoulders. She stifled an amused snort as Emily did the same thing. "You don't need to do any work to it?"

"None," Emily shook her head. "There are some styling choices that I'll need to rectify but I want to get the feel of the place before I do anything. Make the considered choice."

"Very wise," Rory nodded in agreement. "We can come help you when you move in if you want, or maybe give you a proper tour of the town."

"I've been here before Rory. I hardly need a tour of five streets. Unless, heaven forbid, I've missed another unicorn store!" Emily rolled her eyes. "Thank you, but I am alright. Speaking of the town. I thought the dance marathon was a ruse?"

"It is?"

"So why the sign?" Emily pointed vaguely in the direction of the square.

"Taylor is going all out. He's even had Kirk who wins nearly every year grandstanding at Mom. The whole town is in on it," Rory chuckled. "Mom is going to be so surprised."

"She will," Emily nodded.

Rory waited as Emily looked down at her hands and shifted in her seat. There was another question she knew it. "Grandma?"

"I was just wondering why? Why all this fuss. It's their 11th anniversary and they aren't renewing their vows." Emily frowned. "They aren't renewing their vows are they?"

"I don't think so," Rory shook her head before making a mental note to ask Luke that it wasn't something that was due to happen in the event next week. "Mom didn't feel up to celebrating their tenth anniversary and the last year or so has been tough. She's been a little down and over worked with the spa opening. He just wants to do something nice for her."

"That's very sweet," Emily whispered quietly, with a sigh she pulled the cuff of her sleeves down. "So you'll let Luke know the outfits are here?"

"Of course."

"Right, well, good," Emily placed her hands on her knees as if she was about to get up.

"Grandma you're welcome to stay for a bit, unless you need to get back to Hartford. Gigi and I were just about to have dinner. It's lasagne. Luke made it, not me. So it's edible." Rory offered her Grandma, Emily looked pleased and sank back into her chair. Rory took the change in position as acceptance. "I'll go put on some more garlic bread then."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke tenderly placed his hand against Kitty's chest, quietly shaking her awake. The child gave a start and open her eyes.

"Morning Kits," Luke whispered, he pressed his finger to his lips. "We need to be quiet. I don't want Mommy waking up."

Kitty gave an obedient nod and scrambled out of her bed, she scampered over to her laid out jeans and t-shirt. He moved to Willow but she was already stirring. She opened her eyes and he repeated pressing his finger to his lip. She gave him a beaming smile and as with her sister kicked out of her covers and clambered out of bed, though she paused to make it. Luke gave the twins a conspiratorial wink and backed out of the bedroom. He walked down to Sam's bedroom and peered inside, the room was empty but the clothes he had laid out for Sam were gone. Frowning slightly he crossed to Grace's room and found it similarly empty. He checked the bathroom which was also empty and then with trepidation peered into his bedroom. Lorelai was the only occupant, still dead to the world sprawled on her side of the bed.

Luke glanced down the stairs. No light was on and he couldn't hear any obvious sounds of his younger children. He descended the stairs quickly. He looked at the kitchen in surprise. Grace was sitting in the early morning gloom at the kitchen table silently eating a bowl of cereal. The toaster popped and he looked to see Sam gingerly lifting the hot toasted bread from the machine. "I got it Little Man," Sam looked at him relieved and left the last piece of toast in the toaster. "Who's this for?"

"Twins," Sam whispered. "I did Grace her cereal. I made a snack bag, so no one gets hungry," he lowered his chin and peered at Luke out of the top of his eyes. "They get cranky if they don't eat."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. He glanced towards the ceiling. "I'm going to make Mommy something."

"Good plan Daddy she gets cranky too," Sam reached for the toast. "I'll butter so it's melty. They don't eat it if it's still gloopy."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai stirred. She ran her hands across her eyes, wiping the sleep from them and then brushed her hair from her face. The bedroom and the house were blissfully quiet. She stretched languorously, enjoying the pull on her muscles and then glanced towards the clock. Any remnants of sleep rushed out of her and she sat upright in horror. It was 9.30am, the Dance Marathon officially kicked off at midday and you were supposed to arrive early to get your health check. She had been going to get everything one up hours ago. "Luke!" she called rushing out of bed and towards the bathroom. On the door was a bright pink heart shaped Post it note and she paused long enough to read it.

 _Don't Panic._

Beneath it was an ordinary post it which read _Turn around_

"What the hell?" Confusion coursed through her and she scanned around the room. On the back of the bedroom door was a garment bag that had another heart shaped Post it stuck to it. She scurried over and read it

 _Wear me._

Lifting the garment bag off the back of the door she ventured out of the bedroom. There were no sounds of children or tv or any other noise familiar to her house, even the washer was silent. She pinched herself as she walked slowly downstairs. At the base of the stairs was a shoebox that also had a post it saying _Wear me_.

She looked towards the kitchen. On the kitchen table was a single pink rose in a glass vase. She walked towards to find a small silver cloche with another post it on. _Eat Me_. Beside the cloche an old flip style cell phone. _Call Me_. Nervously she opened the phone, there was one programmed number. With her nerves smashing her ribcage she connected the call.

It was answered after three rings. A familiar voice said hello.

"Buddy?" Lorelai whispered. "What's going on?"

"All in good time. How long do you need?"

"For what?" Lorelai asked in confusion.

"To get ready," Buddy explained down the phone. "Our Lucas has been busy."

"I'm not dressed yet," Lorelai looked down at her pyjamas. "I need to…do all that."

"Half an hour then?"

"Maybe 45 minutes," Lorelai looked nervously at the garment bag. "You can't tell me anything?"

"Not yet. I will see you in 45 minutes. Bye Lorelai."

Lorelai stared at the cell phone. She was tempted to dial Luke or Rory but she had a feeling that neither would answer. She set the cellphone down on the table and lifted the cloche. Beneath was a croissant. She didn't feel like eating, her stomach bubbling too much from nerves so she lowered the cloche and turned her attention to the garment bag. Inside she found a black dress with a white rose at the waist and black lace sleeves shrug. Feeling the time ticking away in her head she closed the bag and made her way upstairs.

Once showered, she did her makeup and hair and then dressed in the outfit that had been left for her. She stared at reflection in the full mirror and smiled. Everything about this dress just seemed right and she had no idea what it was even for. She glanced at the clock, 5 minutes left. There was no purse to accompany the outfit and she assumed that wherever she was going she wouldn't need money or ID or keys.

She walked down the stairs enjoying the way the skirt poofed around as she moved and finally reached for the shoebox. Funky wedge sandals with red and white detailing. She grinned as she put them on thankful that her pedicure still looked good. Just as she finished doing up the last ankle strap, the doorbell rang. She rushed towards the door in nervous excitement.

Outside Buddy stood wearing a charcoal grey suit and gold tie. He smiled at her. "Car for Mrs Lorelai Danes" he took a sweeping step back with a flourish revealing a sparkling black and silver Rolls Royce _._ "Ma'am," he gave her an impish smile and offered her his arm.

Lorelai pulled the door closed and allowed Buddy to escort down the porch steps to the car. He opened the door for her. "Buddy?" she whispered softly as she took in the car in closer detail.

"I can't tell you anything," he quirked his eyebrows. "It's a surprise."

"No, I know that." She ran her hand along the door frame. "The car, did my Mom lend this to you?"

"Yes," Buddy's face paled slightly, "she was very particular about how I drove it. Why?"

Lorelai smiled and gave him a little shake of her head. "Doesn't matter." She climbed in. While she waited for Buddy to get seated she ran her hands across the leather seats and stared at the interior of the car. This was the car her father had spent years restoring. The workmanship was beautiful. She bit her lip trying not to tear up and spoil her makeup. Whatever it was that Luke had planned he had found a way to include her father.

She settled into her seat unable for once to come up with anything to say her stomach bubbled with nervous excitement as Buddy drove the short distance to the centre of town.

She gasped as they entered the centre of Stars Hollow, the pumpkins that had been adorning the town square for the past few weeks were gone. Now in their place were mini replicas of the gazebo with tables beneath them surrounding a dance floor. The fake golden leaf garlands that twisted around the street lamps had garlands of antique pink roses and extra strings of twinkle lights added to them. The Banner that had been up the last two weeks proclaiming the Dance Marathon had been removed and was instead replaced with a banner that read _Happy Anniversary Lorelai and Luke 5_ _th_ _November 2005 – 5_ _th_ _November 2016_. The 2016 was artfully scratched out and replaced with an infinity symbol.

She blinked back her surprise. She knew it was their anniversary; she'd bought a fabulous nightdress for Luke to enjoy and there was a card, but that was a typical anniversary for them. Luke cooked something super fancy, she bought something silky and nice, he got googly eyed over it and they enjoyed all aspects of each other's company. It wasn't always on their anniversary, just around it when they have the time. Luke didn't like bit showy events, he barely let her celebrate his birthday. It wasn't even a big anniversary, people had silver wedding anniversary parties, and gold ones, if they were lucky, not eleven year parties.

Buddy parked the car. Before he had a chance to get out and open the door, Rory had approached the car and pulled the door open.

"Babe?"

"Happy Anniversary Mom!"

Rory held out her hand. Lorelai took it and let Rory lead her across the dancefloor. At the base of the gazebo steps Luke stood resplendent in a brand new black suit, his face clean shaven and bank manager appropriate. He looked so handsome and that mixed with the bewilderment of what was going on was making it hard to breathe. A handful of something pink was thrown at her and she gave a soft shriek in surprise realising a moment too late that it was rose petals thrown by the twins. Rory let go of her hand and pushed her the final few steps towards Luke. He held out his hand and she grabbed it, letting him pull her in the rest of the way.

"Hey," he whispered wearing a pleased with himself smile.

"Hey," Lorelai stared at him. "What is this?"

"Anniversary party."

"But the dance marathon,"

"Big fat ruse," Luke grinned. He leant forward and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Happy anniversary!"

"Back at ya," she kissed him back, "but, why?"

"Why not," Luke shrugged and released his grip on her waist.

He twirled her so she was facing the crowd and she blinked in surprise as she made out all the faces of her friends and family in the crowd. The tears in her eyes burned and everything blurred out of focus. She looked back at Luke and the way he was looking at her made the tears fall. She stepped back into his arms and kissed him like his lips were oxygen and it was the only thing she needed. The crowd around them whooped and cheered.

* * *

 **xXx**

"I know, Auntie Lorelai's hair is fun to pull isn't it?" Lorelai cooed at the baby on her lap. 6 month old Dorothy Mariano gurgled happily at her and continued pushing her chubby hands into Lorelai's long loose hair.

"Little Dot, you shouldn't pull hair!" Grace waggled a warning finger at the baby. Dorothy stared at the digit and then reached out and grabbed it, holding it tight.

Lorelai stifled a smile at Grace's shocked expression but she knew that Hinton now had a rival when it came to Grace's affections. She glanced at Jess beside her. His face was a picture, a mixture of fighting to remain cool in the face of the adorableness of the interaction and mild annoyance at Grace's use of the unapproved nickname. "Sorry that was me, but I only said it once. This one, mind of an elephant," Jess gave a non-committal shrug. "Thank you for coming all the way up here. You didn't have to, especially not with Thanksgiving only a few weeks away."

"Luke didn't give me much choice," Jess rolled his eyes. "Nor did Maisy. She wanted to see this one. You'd think people had never seen a baby before."

"Aww, Daddy's grumpy about not being the cute one," Lorelai cooed at the baby, "but you can't help it if you're cutie pie. Auntie Lorelai knows why everyone wants a cuddle," Dorothy gurgled in response. Lorelai glanced back at Jess. "Am I making you want to run away yet?"

"Hurl maybe, but I get it," Jess shrugged once more.

"That means Daddy thinks you are cute," Lorelai told the baby. She lifted the baby and gave her a kiss on her chubby cheek. Instinctively she sniffed the baby. What was it about small children that made her want to sniff them? She still did it with Grace and Sam, but the twins were too big now, their special smell had gone, replaced by cosmetic products and the promise of hormones. But with babies, that special smell was concentrated. She kissed Dorothy again. "Definitely Spice." She glanced at Jess. His eyebrow was raised in confusion.

"Sugar, Spice and everything nice," Grace intoned the rhyme hopping over to him. She looked at his legs, spread apart meaning she had nowhere to sit. "You're slugs and snails." She shook her head in annoyance. "I want to dance with you. Daddy is dancing with Kitty and she's hogging him. So you will do,"

"That's an offer," Jess shook his head in amusement.

"Not an offer," Grace stared at him her tone insistent.

"We don't offer, we demand. It's her or me," Lorelai waggled her eyebrows at Jess.

"Alright then," Jess reluctantly held his hand out to the child. "Let's go do this."

Grace took his hand and dragged him towards the dancefloor. Lorelai chuckled and positioned the baby so she could see her father. "Take note little one, this is one of the few times that you are going to see your Daddy dance. That is the magic of Stars Hollow. It's a very special place."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Here you are Grandma," Rory held out the glass of punch to Emily. After Emily took the glass Rory sat beside her. Emily was staring into the crowd and Rory followed her grandmothers gaze. Emily was staring at her Mom. Lorelai was currently in the middle of the dancefloor dancing with Sam. She grinned as her younger brother attempted to spin Lorelai, failing due to the height difference. "Are you having a good time?"

"Yes," Emily nodded not taking her eyes away from Lorelai. "She looks very happy."

"Mom?" Rory glanced at her Grandmother. "Yeah, but then she's centre of attention and there are hotdogs."

"There might be something in that," Emily muttered with an amused edge to her voice. "She looks wonderful."

"The dress is a great pick. Was it yours?"

"No, I don't know who picked it. If it wasn't you, I imagine Luke picked it."

Rory studied the dress her Mom was wearing again. It was Lorelai grown up, still a bit quirky but sophisticated. It was perfect for her.

"He knows her so well," Emily continued, "and has surprisingly good taste. Remarkable considering his usual attire. I still don't understand the significance of eleven years but your mother looks very happy so I shan't question it." Emily stole her eyes away from Lorelai and Sam. "I knew there was something between them the first time I saw them together. Your mother denied it of course but I could tell. They fit. Thank goodness, I got over my opinion of Luke. I truthfully have never seen your mother happier than with him."

"They are a happy pair," Rory agreed her eyes flicking to Luke who had taken over control of the grill from Maisy to try and keep the flow of hungry guests moving. From the distance, she could see him snapping and growling in annoyance at people demanding condiments. "In their own special way."

"I suppose I should do the rounds seeing as how these people will be by neighbours shortly," Emily muttered not making any effort to move.

"We can stay and people watch," Rory told her quietly noting that several towns' people were making a beeline towards them. "The important people will find us."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke smiled as she felt her hands slip around his waist, waiting for the moment she would rest her chin on his shoulder. He kept his focus on the grill; her arms pulling in tight and then the familiar pressure on his shoulder. "You want another burger or hotdog?"

"Not right now," she purred into his ear. "I'd rather dance with my amazing wonderful sneaky husband."

"In a bit I'm…" he didn't finish the sentence because Maisy grabbed the spatula from his hand.

"Rush is over. Go Dance," Maisy muttered not looking at him.

Luke nodded and flexed his shoulders, Lorelai lifted her chin. "Can't dance if you're clinging onto me like this," Lorelai stepped back and he turned to face her. She looked so happy it made him want to dance, instead of just being dragged onto the floor. It was the first time in a long time he'd genuinely seen her this relaxed and sparkly. He frowned and peered a little closer at her, trying to determine if the sparkliness was makeup or it was genuinely her.

"I got something in my teeth?" Lorelai asked

"No. Is your eye makeup sparkly?"

She looked momentarily confused. She shrugged. "I guess it's a little shimmery. Why?"

"No reason," he waved his hand. The sparkliness was mostly her then, just with a little shimmer, it made his heart flare with joy. "So, dancing."

"You look pretty good at it, dancing with all our daughters but I protest because we only had that one dance at the start," Lorelai held her hand out. He took it and together they made their way over to the dance floor. "Have I said thank you enough?"

"You don't need to say thank you," Luke told her as they got to the dancefloor and got into the correct position to dance. He grinned as Lorelai pressed herself in close. "Come any closer and something else will be saying thank you."

She squeezed in a little tighter still. "He doesn't need to say thank you, but he will be receiving a lot of praise and thanks later on."

"I won't say no to praise."

"One should always take their props," Lorelai smirked. "Can I say dirty?"

"It's implied." He shuffled in an imitation of dancing. They were at least swaying in time to the music but he had no desire to twirl her about or do anything showy. Being stood intoxicatingly close to her was enough. He lowered his chin, the scent of her shampoo filling his nose and he exhaled in delight. This was everything. He'd been married to her for eleven years and this was what he wanted to do with her for the rest of their hopefully long lives.

"What you thinking?" Lorelai asked softly.

"That this is it. This is everything I want" reluctantly he raised his head and stared at her face. Her eyes were reflecting the twinkle lights. They were mesmerising. "You, us. Maybe not the onlookers. But each other."

"You got it," She lowered her head, this time resting it on his shoulder. Then she pulled her hand from his and brought it to rest on his chest. Luke placed his free hand around her back holding her tight. "We're all in remember," she whispered so that only he could hear her.

He pressed a kiss against her crown. "No forgetting that."


	38. Behold a Pale Horse

**AN - Thanks guys, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. I really wanted to do something to mark their special day even if it was a weird anniversary, but then weird is kind of them. We're now in post AYITL territory and also the beginning of the wind down to the end (there will be 46 chapters) so back to doing whatever I fancy (mwhahaha) I hope you like what I have left. Fair warning this one gets political (and takes a very particular stance, I'm sure you can guess which) so hopefully it's not too much but it's needed for a few things I have coming up. Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 38 – Behold a Pale Horse**

"What's the point? It's all horrible! Just shoot me! I mean, it would be better."

"Come on. It's not that bad."

Lorelai raised her head from the table and stared up at Luke incredulously. "Not that bad? Not that bad? Not only is my mother moving to Stars Hollow today but we are faced with that tango faced grifting b…"

"Lorelai," Luke cut her off pleadingly.

"He is, he's a crook. It's rigged. I demand a recount because how in the ever loving fu…"

"I get it, just cool it. There are kids around" Luke sank into the chair opposite her "I get you are mad about the results. At home, you can rage and swear and call him whatever the hell you want but here in the diner let's keep it civil OK. Also no swearing in front of the kids." He looked at her pleadingly. "Now take the donuts and the coffee and go help your Mom or at least distract the kids. They're more likely to do more harm than good."

Lorelai sighed heavily. "Fine. You know they are actually excited about Mom being close." Her head flopped forward. "I thought I was OK with this."

"You will be OK with this," Luke stood up and squeezed her shoulders. "I've put a pie aside for you."

"What kind?" Lorelai watched him move behind the counter. In the last week Luke had been exponentially patient with her. The glow of the wedding anniversary had been very quickly sledgehammered by the General Election results. Now the creeping dread in her stomach would not go away. She'd spent most of Wednesday in tears. Rory also. How could this have happened? How could 'that' be president? And to top it off Emily was now moved to Stars Hollow.

In truth she was OK with Emily being nearer. It cut down on gas for one and the kids could develop closer relationships with Emily by just being able to walk round to see her. It just felt wrong to be OK with it. She'd spent so long running from her mother that even though they were much closer now, she could help but feel those niggly doubts, she'd spent so long quashing, would come back.

There was every chance that she could just run into her Mom on the street. That was never the relationship they had. Everything was always a formal setting. Even for popping in. It was always at one of the houses, at a push, a restaurant. Never real world scenario. It was like tv, no one ever went to the bathroom, everyone always looked perfect, even if the world had ended or they just got out of bed. That was Emily. Emily didn't do real world things like buy groceries or go to the bathroom. Except she nearly almost definitely did and now there was a chance to see it, not literally with the bathroom because that was way too far across boundaries; that was the demilitarised zone. The status quo was off its axis and she kept looking over her shoulder for some more horseman.

"Lemon meringue," Luke told her patiently. "Now donuts." He set the bag on the counter. "Coffee," he pointed to the full sized take away cups. "Hot chocolate," he pointed at the half sized cups. "Anything else?"

"We're coming for lunch," Lorelai slowly got to her feet and crossed to the counter. "Save Big Red for us."

"Sure," Luke nodded, he tipped his head. "What?"

Lorelai extended her forearm and pointed at the signs pinned to the wall beside the coffee. As well as the no cellphone rule, there was rules about no man buns or taking pictures of food. "You need to update that."

"Why?" Luke asked carefully.

"No MAGA Hats." She snatched the bag of donuts in disgust. "I'll take the scissors to those."

Luke rolled his eyes. "We can attack questionable fashion choices together."

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily looked away from her bookcase at the sound of Lorelai whirlwinding into the new house. Her daughter was at her most obnoxious; snapping and snarking. It had made moving even more tiresome. Everything was taking longer than it should because the children had come to 'help'. In reality she'd spent most of the morning following her grandchildren around ensuring they didn't break anything. The objects she had brought with her she had brought for a reason, all the things she wouldn't have minded being broken she had sold on. The proceeds going into what she hoped the children would like when it finally arrived.

She straightened her shoulders and moved over to Lorelai so that she could put some clothe over the coffee table and prevent ring marks on the surface. "Lorelai, use coasters please, I beg you."

"Alright Mom, I am." Lorelai slumped into the chair and slammed the coffee cups tray down with so much force Emily winced in expectation of a spill.

Emily rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Honestly Lorelai, you are behaving like a small child. I asked you if you had a problem with me moving to Stars Hollow."

"What?" Lorelai looked up at her blankly.

"This attitude, hardly exactly welcoming."

"What?" Lorelai repeated. She shook her head after a moment "My bad mood has nothing to do with you Mom. It's the election. The total tragedy of the election."

"Oh really! All this just because your candidate didn't win!" Emily rolled her eyes again.

"It's not that my candidate didn't win Mom, it's who beat her. I mean had someone with similar credentials and kind of similar experience to Hillary I would be annoyed but not inconsolable. It's that _that_ won. That grifting lying…"

"Mom!" Rory called from her position on the floor carefully emptying a box of ornaments. "Getting angry won't change it. We just have to hope for impeachment. He's bound to screw up."

"Oh for goodness sake!" Emily turned to go back to the bookcase bouncing back in surprise as she found April stood right behind her. The expression on April's face was hard to read, angry yet upset but with a resolution that made Emily fear for whomever it was directed at. "April?"

"We don't want him impeached because then we get the bottom of the ticket," April's voice was hard as nails. "Pence is worse than Trump. Look what he did as governor, the health crisis he caused because he thought his religious beliefs were more important than other people's right to contraception."

"They're politicians. They are all as bad as each other. It doesn't matter what party they are they are all self-serving and as bad as each other," Emily held her hands up to placate the room. She blanched at the look of fury that April gave her.

April shook her head. "No Grandma, most politicians don't hate me because of what I am. Pence hates me because I am a woman and I'm queer. If he had his way I wouldn't exist. We have every right to be angry and we should call these men out for what they are. They'll stomp on our rights and kill us just the same. We're just dross to them. They'd happily throw me out in the trash."

"April," Emily reached to touch her granddaughter's forearm. "I'm sorry you're feeling like that but I'm sure it's just the media riling everything up."

April scoffed and then shrugged out of her grip. "I need to go for a walk." She turned and almost ran from the room disappearing out the front door before Lorelai had a chance to stand.

Emily turned back to look at her daughter.

"You're right Mom I'll tone it down. As bad as it is for us I didn't think about April. But I'm still pouting though," Lorelai attempted a smile but it came short.

"She needs some space," Emily told her sensing that Lorelai was about to go out in search of April, Berta entered the new living room with the children in tow. While the girls scrambled over to table to get their donut and drink Sam hesitated. "Have your elevenses and try and be pleasant," she shooed Lorelai back to the couch.

Sam walked up to Emily and slid his hand into hers. "Is Mommy 'plaining about the shouty orange man with the gold toilet again?"

"I am Little Man." Lorelai smiled apologetically. "Mommy's sorry, I'll do less 'plaining."

"Ok, good. I don't like talking about him, it makes everyone mad," Sam sighed. "Except I don't mind talking about the toilet."

"The toilet?" Emily stared down at her grandson. Trust a little boy to be fascinated with toilets.

"Yeah, I mean it's weird. Gold is like really fancy and expensive. Why would you want to use fancy and expensive on poop?" He shrugged in confusion. "It's very strange. Unless you have a gold toilet Grandma in which case it's not."

Emily creased her brow. "Why would you think I would have a gold toilet?"

"You like fancy and expensive," Sam shrugged again, "and sometime I don't get why you have the things you do. But it might be because I'm a kid and you're a Grandma."

Lorelai snorted in amusement and patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, grab a donut, then we can make all Grandma's trinkets nice and sticky for her."

"They will wash their hands after donuts," Emily winced at the thought of sticky residue on her belongings. "I have hand sanitiser also."

"Get used to it Mom," Lorelai chuckled, "they are going to be around a lot more, and Jam hands are going to be everywhere."

* * *

 **xXx**

Luke sighed as Lorelai wriggled yet again. "You OK?" he asked sleepily. It could be any number of things causing her inability to sleep. To try and guess was pointless. He was so tired and he needed to sleep but he knew that her moving around like this was going to prevent him from actually doing so.

Lorelai sighed dramatically and thumped her arms down on top of the covers. "You're sure April was OK?"

"She was fine, got back home safe." Luke mumbled, desperate to give in to the pull of sleep.

"I don't mean the drive. I mean in herself. She said some stuff at Mom's, stuff I'd not considered and me with my big mouth put my foot in it." She rolled towards him.

Luke reluctantly opened his eyes. "She was fine."

"She was so upset Luke."

Luke blinked a few times in an attempt to clear the sleep from his eyes. He studied her face, it was creased with concern. With a faint grumble he rolled over and turned the light on. "She was OK."

"But?"

"Lorelai she was OK."

"I guess. But what she was saying. What if that happens?" Lorelai stared up at him nervously.

"It won't."

"But it could."

"It won't. We won't let it. And I think you know if anyone comes after my kids, any of my kids, I'll rip them apart." He gave her a pointed look, hoping that she would let the subject lie and he could finally sleep.

"So if the religious nuts outlaw being qu…"

"I'll be out there protesting with them. I'll take tear gas, I'll take whatever they try and throw at her for her instead. I'll protect her. I'll do whatever it takes." He sighed heavily. "It's not going to happen Lorelai. April is going to be OK. All you girls are."

"I guess. No wearing red for them," Lorelai rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

Luke answered her by making a noise of agreement, not sure what she was talking about but knowing better than to ask. He turned the light off and collapsed back onto the mattress. As soon as he was down Lorelai rolled into him, her arm clung to him tightly and she pressed herself into him. It was uncomfortable but he wrapped his arms around her, knowing he hadn't quelled whatever was whirring around in her head. But he knew he was right, that April would be fine. And if anyone tried to hurt her, he'd destroy them without prejudice. No one was hurting his kids. Ever.

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily exited the post office and shivered against the cold. The temperature in Stars Hollow seemed to be a few degrees colder than Hartford, perhaps relating to the Hollow part of its name. She resented having to go out when it was so icy, but moving house necessitated a certain amount of paperwork that she could not pass over to Berta. She rounded the corner and pulled her black wool coat around her, pulling her neck into the fur collar.

"Emily!"

She turned to look in the direction of the raspy cry. She smiled amiably at the two women. Their names eluded her despite the fact she had met them numerous times. There was just too much going around her head. She hated it when she forgot names it was such bad etiquette. She was getting so out of practise not going to functions as she used to.

"Come join us." the dark haired woman waved jovially at her.

Emily changed her course and walked tentatively across the pavement towards them. "Hello."

"Hi there. Grab yourself a toddy. Patty makes a mean one," the short blonde woman told Emily gleefully. She brandished a small silver coloured plastic cup and sloshed a good measure of dark coffee.

"It's Kahlua and a little something extra," Patty told her with a wink.

Emily took a tentative sip of the warm drink she had been offered, the coffee did little to overpower the smell of alcohol. Tentatively she took a sip. She coughed as the liquid hit her throat and she felt like half her taste buds died. "My goodness," she stared at the cup on fascination while her throat continued to burn "and I'm well versed in spirits."

Beside her Patty let out a throaty chuckle and elbowed her in the ribs. "Oh I know you are. Now Babette and I were just discussing the goings on…"

"Well I won't keep you," Emily cut her off holding out the still half full cup to Babette.

"Nah, you ain't," Babette took the cup and glugged it back. "It's just gossip. You know what they say about gossip."

"I can imagine," Emily smiled nervously.

"Babette and I meet most days," Patty told her.

"She needs to fill me in. Even after all that work they did on the phonelines, she still gets to listen in on people's calls." Babette shot an admiring look Patty "Lucky. Lucky for all of us, how else would we have known that Jackie Gregory's little boy Donovan had pink eye and she still planned on sending him to school. It could have been a disaster."

"Someone was going to send their child to school with pink eye?" Emily stared at Babette in disgust.

"Some people have no decency. I mean the chicken pox parties I kind of understand, that's a service, getting chicken pox when you're older ain't no fun at all. But anything else. No way. It's just bad parenting."

Emily studied Babette and shook her head. "Quite."

"Did you used to dance?"

"Pardon" Emily looked at Patty in surprise, confused by the sudden topic shift.

"Your posture is wonderful, I can tell you've had training, ballet obviously."

"I did Ballet before I went to college, once I married Richard partner dancing," Emily self-consciously checked her posture.

"I do senior dance classes. Ballet, tap, partner dance, but we lack men and Kirk is handsy," Patty shook her head. "Also pole tease."

"That ain't as sexy as it sounds," Babette rolled her eyes. "Too much time trying not to fall off and smash your face on the floor."

"I told you Babette you're not supposed to mount the pole."

"I gotta practice for Morey."

Despite herself Emily chuckled. Discussing pole dancing on a street corner while drinking alcohol in the afternoon was not something she would have ever have considered seemly but in the presence of these two women she found she didn't care one bit. "Do you have a schedule?" She asked Patty softly, perhaps dancing would be a good way to exercise and meet more people in town. "Not for the pole fitness but the others."

"Sure," Patty nodded. "Come by the studio, I'll give you one. Right now we were going to go to Weston's get a cake."

"Yeah, you gotta come," Babette seized Emily's arm a little roughly. "You ain't an official member of town until you've had something from Weston's."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Lorelai!"

"Michel!" Lorelai turned away from the inn front door that she had so almost escaped from. Today had been a long day, even though technically it was only 2.45 but annoying guests, trying to tie down last minute details for Thanksgiving, getting the final orders in for Christmas which in turn led to ornery suppliers had made her five hour day seem like twenty five. "I need to go pick up the kids."

"I shall walk with you."

"You will what?" Lorelai stared after Michel as he vanished into the office and returned moments later with his elegant black wool coat. She watched him fuss with his scarf and leather gloves and then headed out into the cold November afternoon. How was it possible that it was already getting dark. She sniffed hopefully. No snow, not quite yet. She kind of hoped it waited now. Thanksgiving was only a few days away and the first snow always brought a level of chaos that she could really do without. "I'm going the back way," Lorelai informed Michel with a wry smile. "Those shoes will get ruined."

"They will not," Michel looked down at his feet. Hesitating for a moment before following her across the garden towards the path that lead into town. "Lorelai!"

"Michel!"

"Let me speak for pithy's sake."

"For who's sake?"

"Lorelai!"

"Michel!"

"No!" Michel stopped and stomped his foot against the frozen ground. "Do not start a loop. I have important things I must discuss with you. Do not mock or make silly fun. This is serious."

"Ok," Lorelai looked at him curiously. Serious with Michel could be anything, it could be the most trivial thing in the world or it could be the most serious thing in the universe. She groaned inwardly, what if he had changed his mind about being partners in the Inn, or what if he was going to try and muscle in on the spa. She liked managing the spa on her own. It was nice to be the boss boss and not have anyone to have to consult with.

"As you known, Frederick and I are trying to adopt a small person."

"A child."

"A child, yes." Michel nodded. "It is very tiresome. We must provide so many documents and they must talk to all people in our lives and have vouchers."

Lorelai looked at Michel out of the corner of her eye, waiting for him to explain further, she had an inkling we're he was going with this line of conversation but he could be about to ask for a month of leave.

"They have interviewed our family, and even with Frederick's brother they have allowed the process to continue. Now they want to get character witnesses from not family. I must provide a number and we are asking all of our close personal friends."

"I'm a close personal friend. Does this mean I can borrow money, or your car?" Lorelai teased. Michel wrinkled his nose in annoyance and Lorelai held her hand out to show she was relenting. "Michel. I would be honoured to provide a character witness for your adoption process."

"Thank you. Good." Michel nodded once more. A beat passed and he looked at her. "You must be serious. No jokes. No trying to be smart. No telling horrible stories that you think are funny…"

"Michel, I won't. I know this is important. I would never do anything to jeopardise this process for you." They reached the back gate and she went through. She looked back at Michel expecting him to follow but he stayed on the Inn side of the wooden gate, a large smile on his face. "Send me the details of what I need to do and where I need to send it."

"I shall. Thank you Lorelai."

"My pleasure," Lorelai gave him a wide smile. "And think this time next year, we could be doing the school run together."

"Not possible," Michel scoffed, rolling his eyes at the thought, "my child will not go to filthy public school. They are to be privately educated."

"So I can put snob in this character witness then?" Michel opened his mouth to protest. Lorelai waved her hand shooing him back towards the inn. "Don't worry. I'll word it differently."

"Why do you enjoy teasing me?" Michel pouted at her. He looked down at his shoes and gave a dramatic huff.

"Oh little boy, wait till you have kids, it is they end of nice things. Sticky hands and all manners of bodily fluids," Lorelai teased. "But all completely worth it. And as for teasing you. You make it easy and that is what best friends do."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi Mom," Lorelai smiled at Emily as she opened the green front door to her new house.

"Come in, Come in." Emily took an excited step back ushering the children in to the warm front hallway.

"New rug?" Lorelai asked as she stepped in. Her parents had always been a fan of rugs, often some traditional overly patterned thing. The rug in the centre of the hallway was unlike she'd ever seen them own, riotous in its stripy colours. She peered a little closer gasping as she realised it was a rag rug. Emily Gilmore owned a rag rug; the very thought!

"Yes, isn't it delightful? A designer from New York, he has his assistants stitch all the left over scraps of fabric into these beautiful rugs. The fabrics in it are to die for," Emily gushed. "Now I want to give you a tour."

"We saw the house the other day," Lorelai frowned in confusion. She winced as Emily's expression faltered ever so slightly. "I mean unless you've done anything sp…" she didn't get the rest of her sentence out as the door opened behind her and she turned to see April walking in the front door, stowing her keys in her pocket. "You have a key?"

"Yeah?" April stared at her in confusion.

"How come April gets a key and you don't tell her off for using it?" Lorelai looked at Emily in shock.

"I have a key for you also," Emily inclined her head towards the side table and a small bowl. "And April has permission to use it, because she only recently moved out of home."

"You are so the favourite," Lorelai muttered to April cheekily.

"I know." April poked her tongue out at her. "So Grandma did you take the kids on the tour of thei…"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Emily waved her hands insistently. There was a momentary pause and then the children rushed at Emily excitedly asking questions if what April said meant they had bedrooms. "And there April goes ruining the surprise. Would you like to see?" The children answered in a cacophony of squeals and yeses. Emily seized Grace and Willow's hands. "Up we go," she started towards the stairs, pausing to look over her shoulder at Lorelai. "Aren't you coming?"

"You enjoy the moment with them Mom. They can show me later," Lorelai smiled at the joyful expression that Emily gave her and watched the five of them ascend the stairs. "How'd she fit them all in? I thought she was turning one of the bedrooms into her closet?"

April snorted in amusement. "She is. Sam and Grace get the smaller bedrooms upstairs and then the attic room has two storage areas, big enough to put a bed and a chest of drawers in."

"The twins' bedrooms are cupboards?"

"Pretty much, but the attic space is huge and they'll have plenty of space to hang out in there and there is a day bed in there that I can use or whoever," April shrugged. "She wanted them to have their own bedrooms. Something they've never had."

Lorelai shook her head. "She still fills up the house." She turned her attention to April. The young woman looked tired, dark smudges under her eyes. "How are you?"

"OK. Better." April turned to hang her coat in the closet by the front door. "You?"

"Better. I've stopped crying for now, but that might be down to the whole hormone drought I've got going on." Lorelai waited for April to turn back around and when she did held her arms out. April gave her a soft smile and then stepped into her arms. They hugged for a minute, Lorelai applying the perfect level of pressure to deliver her best, most comforting Mom hug. "I'm sorry if me being my dramatic self made it worse."

"It didn't because I don't think it could be worse," April sighed. She took a step back but kept her arm around Lorelai's waist. Together they walked into Emily's new sitting room, which probably only a third of the size of the Hartford House's living room still had the same feel with the pink and gold couches and roaring fire. "There are plans afoot and we'll just do everything we can to keep everyone safe."

"You know me and your Dad, we'll do whatever we need to," Lorelai told her waiting for April to sit. She joined her step daughter on the couch and then placed her hand on her knee. "We've got you no matter what, ok?"

"I know," April nodded. "And it's not just me we've got to fight for it's the environment, he'll strip it down for parts. I mean he's the coal president. Which is the most..." she shook her head. "I have no words for how stupid it is. You need to start using a reusable coffee mug. Stop using the single use cups. I'm going to get Dad to sell them, limit single use plastic. I've found some great cardboard containers he can use instead of the Styrofoam. Now Grandma's moved it's better from a gas consumption point of view for you guys, the minivan is a huge gas guzzler."

"I'm with Her," Lorelai cheekily bumped her elbow into April's side. April stared at her blankly confused by the use of the now defunct slogan. "Mother Nature," Lorelai said carefully.

"Oh!" April's eyes lit up. "I love that!"

"Thank you very much I'm here all week," Lorelai smiled. She looked back as she heard the sound of feet on the stairs. "We got incoming."

"We always do," April grinned. "It's good she's here, she seems happier."

"Mom?" Lorelai looked towards the mantle and the picture above it. It was a large photograph of her and her kids. It was the candid one. Done at a modern studio with white background, so unlike the stuffy staidness of so many of the photoshoots that Emily had had set up over the years. This one taken a few years ago with Grace just out of toddlerhood and the twins looking still like little girls, summed up what she wanted to remember her family. Her in the middle, Rory on oneside, April on the other and the kids half collapsed on them, a cacophony of love was the only way she could describe it. That Emily had chosen to put that over the mantle told her so much. She had no doubt that there were images of her father around the house but this picture and the rug in the foyer told her her Mother was facing this new chapter in her own inimitable style. "I think she is."


	39. Jingle Bell, What!

**AN - Thanks Guys - I know politics doesn't really belong in Stars Hollow but I felt it was something too big not to include it and it set something up for the chapter after this ;). I know it is a little early (Happy Thanksgiving American readers) but we've reached December and Christmas in Stars Hollow, so please enjoy Christmas 2016 5 weeks before Christmas 2018 (anyone elses head hurt). I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think, x**

* * *

 **Chapter 39 - Jingle Bell, What?!**

"Have you heard from Liz yet?" Lorelai asked Luke as she slumped into the stool by the register

"Hello to you to," Luke muttered, finishing putting the coffee machine back together before turning to look at her.

"I've no time for niceties; It's ten days till Christmas. The Lords are leaping up and down demanding costumes, and presents and food. I need to know who's coming. So I repeat. Have you heard from your sister yet?" Lorelai looked at him desperately. "I mean look," she pulled out a list. "It's so long, it's getting longer, I'm running out of paper."

"Liz will be coming with Doula. She's not sure about TJ yet. It depends on the weather because the heating is on the fritz at the place that he works and something about not wanting icicle old folk." Luke told her. "Does that help?"

"Yes, thank you. OK so it is definitely, me, you, our six, Gigi, Spencer, Jess and Selena, Hinton and Dorothy, Mom, Liz and Doula. So dinner for 16. As much as it will cause Mom a conniption, Buffett, kids sit at the table, Adults where there is space. Or we do it here?"

"Christmas in our house," Luke intoned.

"He spoke and so it shall be," Lorelai scribbled on her paper. "OK, so sleeping arrangements. Jess and Selena here?"

"Yep, April's in her room."

"Rory's staying in her apartment, so Liz can go in her room and Doula can take Gigi's. Mom said if Grady can come he can go to her but his rig has to stay at ours, because heaven forbid a rig is parked outside her fancy house. If he and TJ come will we have enough food? Shall I make it dinner for 17? I didn't count Dorothy because Baby but if I count her with children not eating lots we should have enough for 2 grown men, right?" Lorelai stared at the sheet of paper. "Oh My God. Why do we have such a big family? It's so complicated!" she shook her head and then reached into her pocket for another list. "Gift list. In agreement?"

With a sigh Luke took the list and scanned it. He frowned as he reached the bottom. "Are you going to buy your gift from me?"

"Yes," Lorelai nodded, her eyebrows rose in excitement. "Unless you have something you've bought already."

"I have something."

"You do?" Lorelai's eyes widened. "What?"

"Secret, and it's better than perfume or… why the hell would you want a hula hoop?" He stared at her incredulously.

"Exercise. It's really good for your middle and the middle is where in the dusting you poof out. Every little helps and I figured it would be fun. You know owing to the hating of the exercise. it needs to be fun." Lorelai took back her list. "It's a special one it's weighted, using the kids wouldn't work."

"OK buy the hula hoop," Luke took the pen from behind his ear, scratched out the other suggestions she had made for herself and wrote something else down. "Can you get those for April and Rory?"

Lorelai stared at what he had written. "Journals?"

"Nice ones, with good quality paper. You know those leather-bound ones, well cloth for April," Luke nodded seriously.

"Ok. Why?"

"They're both writing things, I figured they should have something nice to do it in. Besides they both love good stationary." He shrugged in a way that looked non-committal but Lorelai could read right through him. "Don't say sweet."

"It is sweet." Lorelai wrinkled her nose in delight. "Ok so gimme. This haul is going to burden both our cards."

With a sigh Luke hauled out his wallet like it was a ten pound weight. "No more than $100 a kid. Please don't…"

Lorelai silenced him by leaning over the counter and kissing him on the lips. "I know," she snatched the wallet away and pulled out his credit card, paused and then took out most of the cash. "For the Christmas pop up store with the gift wrap that we always need miles of. They never take cards. And also my sustenance and parking." She handed him back his emptier wallet. "Wish me well. I will return laden with bounty in my quest." She grinned as Luke rolled his eyes. "The odds are in my favour. I will return better, stronger…"

"Poorer. Would you just go," Luke waved his hand to shoo her away. "Just get this over with."

"Oh hello, Charles Dickens estate is calling about copyright infringement," Lorelai gave him an impish smile. "Don't forget to pick up the kids. I really doubt I'll be back in time. Now kiss for luck." She leaned over the counter and kissed him softly. "Bye Mr Scrooge."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai set the minivan in park and stared at April's little blue car in surprise. Luke hadn't mentioned April was coming home today. Maybe school was winding down over the festive break, though what she remembered from Rory's PhD, long holidays had become a thing of the past, so she doubted it. Leaving the mountains of shopping in the back she made her way into the house. The downstairs was empty but there was the tell-tale sign of tea making having occurred. She turned to go upstairs and then turned back. The Bread bin with flamingos was out of the cupboard. The container was her hiding place for all things forbidden. Presently there was four different chocolate bars, a box of mallomars and some red vines. She walked over and checked the contents. The chocolate bars were gone. She winced, a four bar chocolate emergency and a forgetting of tidying up. April was forever tidying up, she got that from Luke.

Lorelai turned and ran up the stairs, whatever this was it was bad. She ran up the second flight of stairs and opened April's bedroom door without knocking. April was beneath her covers, two of the chocolate bars were eaten judging by wrappers another appeared to be under the cover. "Apricot?"

April responded by lifting the covers. Lorelai hesitated long enough to kick off her shoes and then slipped into the bed. April threw the covers over their head and then burrowed into her. Lorelai held her tightly despite feeling unbearably claustrophobic in the thick humid air under the covers, April was crying and had been crying for a while. The air was thick with tears. Lorelai held her until the hiccups began. "Ok. Up we go," she coaxed April to sit, her arms sighing in relief at being able to move. "What happened?"

April lunged forward and pulled an envelope of the bedside table. She thrust it at Lorelai. Lorelai took the red envelope, on the front in April's neat print was Anna's address scratched out, beside it April's new address. Tentatively Lorelai pulled out a Christmas card, a slip of paper fell out. Lorelai lifted it, read it and felt like punching the wall. _Don't write here again_. "Is this your Mom's writing?"

"I don't know," April whispered. "It's print, and it's angry writing. I could be, she does her A's like that," her lip wobbled.

Lorelai pressed a kiss to April's temple and opened the card, inside as well as the usual holiday salutation April had written a short note explaining she had started a PhD and moved to New Haven and here was her new address. "Oh Apricot I'm sorry."

"I don't know if it's her or him. I…I…" April dissolved into tears. "Why…why?"

"Don't try to understand it," Lorelai held her tight. "This can't be understood," she rubbed April's back comfortingly. "We got you OK. I got you."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Daddy be careful, you'll break them," Sam groused.

Luke looked down at the salt shaker he had just slammed down on the counter. He just could not control the level of rage he felt within him over what Anna or that dickhead of a boyfriend had done. It was so cruel. He'd tried four times over the last three days to go give them a piece of his mind, only to find each time that he be stopped by a sudden vanishing of his keys or the kids being super clingy and refusing to get off his lap. "Sorry Little Man."

"Maybe go to the batting cage," Sam suggested quietly. "I'll go with you."

Luke looked down at his little boy. Sam was wearing a Christmas elf novelty apron, his dark curls erupting from beneath an elf hat. He was focussed on his task, polishing the cutlery, removing any water spots. His face sombre and serious. "You hate the batting cage."

"I know. The machine is scary," Sam looked up at him. "But you're mad and if you wanna hit something, baseballs is best. It would be good," he blushed and looked down at the fork in his hand "You'll only get madder. We're all gonna be at home, there's too much sugar and Auntie Liz is coming."

"I'm sorry Little Man, I shou…"

"You should be mad." Sam interrupted. "April's Mommy is very mean."

"You know what happened?" Luke looked at Sam in surprise. They hadn't told the kids what had happened, he'd thought the kids' reactions were just in reaction to his atrocious mood.

"You were loud, we heard," Sam shrugged softly. He set the cutlery down and looked up at him seriously. "Daddy, if I was a velociraptor I would eat her, if I was a diplodocus I would stomp her. How could a Mommy be like that and to April? April's the best sister, she listens," he shook his head sadly, his face completely perplexed. "But you should do something about the mad and we're not dinosaurs so we should go to the batting cage."

Luke bent down and pressed the briefest of kisses on Sam's forehead. "We'll go in the quiet time."

"Good," Sam nodded happily. He put the fork in the container and walked behind Luke to the phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Mommy. I want my bike helmet," Sam stood on tiptoes to get the phone. "And lots of other padding so when I get hit by the ball it doesn't hurt." He started to dial the number and then looked up at Luke. "Can I wear pillows?"

"Yeah, you can," Luke shook his head in amusement. "You wear what you want."

* * *

 **xXx**

"What did she want now?" Spencer asked.

Rory turned away from her phone to look at her husband. He was slumped halfway down the coach, looking one step away from sleep. He'd arrived only a few hours ago, battling through the crowds of the very busy airport. "Just reminding me to bring our wine glasses. Not that I mind drinking wine out of a plastic beaker but Grandma might have an issue."

"How many texts is that?"

"Huh? I dunno. I never count my texts." She wrinkled her brow. "Why? Are you jealous?"

"No, I just want to spend time with you. We had to wait for Gigi to go to bed and now…"

Rory switched the tv off and rotated round to look at him. She pulled her feet up onto the sofa. "What do you want to talk about?"

"We don't have to talk." Spencer looked down at his hands.

"Oh I see, you want to do something else?" Rory leaned closer. Her hand traced across his chest. She crawled across the sofa. "A little Christmas cheer?"

"Ew! Gross!"

Spencer let out a sigh of frustration.

"You guys have a bedroom, go do gross stuff in there," Gigi strode across the living area of the apartment to the kitchen.

"You are supposed to be in bed," Rory gave Gigi a pointed look.

"I needed a drink. I've had way too much sugar,"

"So, you waited until the tv got turned off?" Rory raised her eyebrows as the teen got herself a glass of water and slowly took a few sips.

"OK fine, I wanted to earwig. I thought Dad might say some more about New Haven and Yale."

"New Haven?" Rory glanced at Spencer. "Yale? When did you talk about this?"

"You were busy driving the car, avoiding getting hit by the morons, when we were leaving the airport. I figured we'd talk about it later," Spencer sat up, wincing as he stretched. "Which I guess is now, thanks." He matched Rory's pointed look at Gigi. The teen rolled her eyes and stomped out of the kitchen to join them. "When I started looking I contacted some of my old co workers. No one had anything but they said they would let me know. Anyway, there are a couple of retirements coming up, nothing has been posted but Tim said he would let me know."

"So we could live together properly as a family?" Gigi bounced forward. "We'd have to get a proper house though, this is fine for me and Mom and when you visit but we can't live here forever."

Rory cast a look around the small apartment, she liked it here. Certainly she liked it a lot better than the big house they had had in Baltimore. Cosy and comfortable was much more her style than McMansions, albeit colonially styled. "I don't care as long as we're living together. I can make anything work."

"As long as there are space for your books," Spencer grinned at her. His smile faltered and he sighed heavily. "I hope these jobs come through. There hasn't been anything around here, and I'm reluctant to widen the search because I know you guys are happy here but come June, my contract is up."

"You'll find something and if it has to be in New York or somewhere further we'll figure out," Rory smiled weakly. The last thing she wanted to do was move out of Connecticut, she liked it here, she liked teaching at Chilton. If she had to move out of Stars Hollow she would but the thought of moving back to New York made her feel ill.

"If I end up in New York, we'll do what we do now. You guys stay here I come up for the weekends but at least it's only a couple hours drive and not a flight that means I have to leave mid afternoon on a Sunday."

"Well that sucks," Gigi stood up. "You better get one of those jobs in Yale Dad. I miss our family properly." The teen bounced on her hip and sighed heavily. "Well, now I'm bummed. I'm gonna play Candy Crush for a bit."

"Santa's on his way, you should go to sleep," Rory cuddled against Spencer.

"Mom, I am not a kid," Gigi rolled her eyes and turned to go to her bedroom. "I get a stocking though, right?" her voice went high and childish with nerves.

"I don't know have you been good?"

"I'm always good," Gigi turned back to the couch and kissed them both in turn. "Now don't do anything gross!"

"We won't," Rory shook her head. When Gigi's door closed she looked up at Spencer. "We don't do anything gross."

"Apart from that one time."

Rory swatted Spencer's chest. "We do not talk about that."

"We should try and recreate it sometime."

"Ew no," Rory pulled away from him with a giggle. Spencer followed, his exhaustion seeming to disappear. "Spencer, bedroom," Rory whispered but her chest thrust upwards towards him and she found herself pawing at his russet coloured sweater. "She'll hear."

Spencer responded by kissing her strongly, finally he dragged himself up and away from her. "We should have got her noise cancelling headphones."

"Give her yours," Rory stumbled to her feet and moved to his bag beside the door, she rifled through his bag and then gave a thrilled yelp as Spencer pulled his arm around her and dragged her away from the bag. "She'll hear."

"She'll survive," Spencer pushed her towards the bedroom. "Come on two doors, better than one."

"Could not agree more," Rory resumed kissing him. Together they twisted and turned as they pulled at each others clothes before finally closing the door behind them.

* * *

 **xXx**

 _Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep_

Lorelai jerked awake at the sound of the alarm. She frowned as she fumbled to turn the incessant beeping off. It was six am. Six am on Christmas morning and she had been woken by the alarm, not her children jumping on her. She threw the alarm clock back on the table and then rolled over to shake Luke awake. "Get up, our children have been stolen!"

"What!" Luke jerked awake and started at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" he kicked back the covers and made to get out of bed but Lorelai pulled him back. "Lorelai!"

"It's six am on Christmas morning, they didn't wake us." Lorelai chuckled as she nuzzled the back of his neck.

"Jeez Lorelai, you scared the crap out of me," Luke huffed in annoyance and relief. "They're probably still asleep, it was a late night."

"Our children are super human when it comes to functioning on Christmas with no sleep. Of course they will be little devils for the next few days after but today they can function on nothing but sugar and elf magic." Lorelai leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. "Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas." Luke kissed her back. "Lets go see if there are any presents left to open or if they've opened them all."

Together they made their way sleepily downstairs. With mild relief, they found the children surrounding the kitchen table, Liz holding court in the kitchen as she made a mess.

"Oh My God what took you so long," Kitty flopped dramatically over the table when she saw them "We've been waiting forever!" She yelped as Willow tapped her forcefully on the back. "Hey!"

"Manners." Willow stood giving her sister a pointed look. "Happy Christmas Mommy and Daddy."

"Oh right, yeah," Kitty scratched her flyaway hair. "Happy Christmas. Can we do presents now? Auntie Liz said we had to wait."

"And a Happy Christmas to you too," Lorelai rolled her eyes and then walked down the table giving each of the children a kiss on the top of their heads. "We can do stockings. We don't do presents until everyone is here."

"Even Grandma?" Kitty looked plaintive.

"Grandma's coming at 10," Grace told her sliding down from her chair. "That's only 4 hours. We gonna eat and open our stockings."

"And eat some more," Lorelai scooped her youngest into her arms.

Grace giggled and cuddled her tightly, "put our clothes on and stopped Mommy eating all the cookies. Oncer we done all that it will be ten."

"I guess," Kitty sighed dramatically. "So stockings?" she bounced hopefully on her toes.

"Yeah, I wanna see what Santa brought us!" Sam jumped down from his chair and started hopping towards the living room where the now full stockings were hung over the fireplace.

Kitty and Willow followed him with excitement, as did Doula who had her own stocking hung on the mantle. Lorelai glanced at Grace, the child hadn't flexed her legs indicating she wanted to get down. "Don't you want to see what Santa has brought you?"

Grace gave her a tired look. "Mommy, I know Santa is you and Daddy," she whispered staidly. "I know you'll get me things I like. Sides, I wanna open that one," she pointed excitedly towards a big box under the tree. "Also snuggles is better." She buried her face into Lorelai's shoulder. Lorelai held her tight, feeling as if she wanted to cry. Her baby no longer believed in Santa Claus, it was a bastion of childhood. That true belief in magic and at only five Grace had already lost it. "Don't be sad Mommy, Sam still believes," Grace lifted her face from Lorelai's shoulder and gave her a soft smile. "I can pretend if it makes you feel better?"

"No Shortcake, just don't tell Sam," Lorelai kissed Grace's soft rosy cheek. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas Mommy."

Grace finally flexed her legs and Lorelai let her down. Lorelai watched the youngest hop around her brother and sisters to get her small stocking. Lorelai walked to the couch and sat on the arm of the chair, reaching for Luke's hand as he tried to marshal gift wrap. He looked back at her and she pulled him closer to her.

"MOMMY LOOK!" Sam erupted in excitement jumping to his feet. He thrust the toy in Lorelai's face and she grinned pulling her little boy in close to her and hugging him tight. "Mommy, I still got more to open," Sam pecked her lightly on the cheek and pushed away.

Lorelai reluctantly released her hold and in doing so caught Willow's eye. The child picked up her new butterfly shaped notebook and fluffy glitter pen and skipped over. She settled on Lorelai's knee and let Lorelai envelope her in her arms. "Happy Christmas Honey Bunch." Lorelai whispered, rocking Willow from side to side.

"Happy Christmas Mommy," Willow snuggled into her as she flipped open the notebook. She scratched something on her notebook and then held it so Lorelai could see. _Thank you_.

"You're welcome," Lorelai kissed Willow again. "I'd make a good elf huh?"

"Yep," Willow nodded emphatically. "But you lost your hat," she playfully ruffled Lorelai's messy bed hair.

"I'm on vacation," Lorelai snuggled her tightly to her, "but I still need cookie powering."

"Not till after breakfast. Daddy won't like it," Willow told her primly.

"Oh, Willow Tree, it's Christmas Day there are no rules today," she grinned as Willow chuckled in delight. "Go open the rest of your stocking."

"In a bit. It might be the only time I get your lap today," she nestled in closer. "I like that best."

* * *

 **xXx**

"I tell you Big Brother, you do a fine spread. Nobody touch anything," Liz shouted across the din of the extended family. "I gotta post this on my Instagram," she pulled out her cell and started trying to take a picture of the table.

Lorelai wished she had her own camera to capture the perfectly synchronised eye roll that Luke and Jess performed. "No sign Hon."

"I didn't think I needed a sign for my own house," Luke deliberately put himself in the frame thereby spoiling his sister's artsy photograph. "Come on kids dig in,"

"How very festive. Dig in," Emily took a plate. "And we are eating on laps?"

"You can sit with the kids if you want." Lorelai gave Emily a pointed look. "We just don't have enough table for food and children and us. Luke wanted to have Christmas at home."

"I can manage on my lap," Emily sighed heavily indicating the great in justice and huge trial it would be for her. "It does look rather good as Liz says. Why is she trying to photograph it?"

"It's a social media thing so TJ and her followers can see it," Lorelai waved her hand dismissively.

"Why on earth is it called social media? It seems to be the most unsocial thing. What is wrong with calling someone? Why would I want to twit them?" Emily rolled her eyes.

"Tweet Mom," Lorelai corrected. "Like birds, that's the logo."

"It's all rather ridiculous, whatever it is," Emily walked towards the table.

"She's not wrong," Rory sidled up to Lorelai. "And at least she said twit instead of the other thing she could have said."

Lorelai glanced at Rory blankly for a moment. Her mouth dropped open in realisation and she smirked. "Ah with an A," she winced as Kitty and Willow turned around, their faces enlivened in impish grins.

Sam said the inevitable first though. "What does tw…" he was silenced by Spencer quickly placing his hand over his mouth. Sam wriggled out of his grip, almost upending his plate. He stared up at Spencer angrily. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry Sam, it's just, it's rude."

"It's slang for lady parts," Kitty told Sam wisely.

"Not the worst. That is See you next Tuesday, but with letters," Willow continued knowledgeably. She scooped some buttery mashed potato and deposited on Sam's plate. "You're never allowed to say that one."

Lorelai and Luke exchanged looks. A mixture of 'are you kidding me' and 'what the hell'. Rude word conversations was the last thing they needed at Christmas dinner with Emily present, and where did the twins learn such things?

"How on Earth do you know those?" Emily shot a horrified look at Lorelai.

"Billy Michaelson's older brother Jamie told him. We were doing an anatomy project for science with Billy and he thought we should know them," Willow rolled her eyes. "He's a boy, so you know…"

"Dumb as a bag of rocks," Kitty finished. "I think he was trying to be impressive. Instead he was such a dork."

Luke groaned tiredly. "Please can we just…eat and not…" he looked at his sister who had finally put her cellphone down. "That was you're fault."

"How is it my fault?" Liz bleated. "I was just taking a picture so TJ would be jealous and to show how amazing you are. You cooked all this for sixteen people."

"Seventeen," Grace corrected her. "You forgot Little Dot."

"AWWW! Little Dot!" Liz cried in delight. "Are you my Little Dot?" she approached her granddaughter on Selena's hip and bundled the baby into her arms showing her with kissed "My Little Dot"

Lorelai winced by way of apology to Jess. Her nephew in law gave a tired shake of his head and looked towards his daughter who giggling in delight at the attention when she wasn't was busy trying to pull the sparkles off her grandmother's jumper. "Come on troublemakers, lets get you fed and watered," Lorelai pushed Grace towards the table. "We've got presents to construct and read. And Mommy needs to eat enough food that she can wear her new hula hoop like a belt."

"I'm not a troublemaker Mommy," Grace protested. She turned away from the table and pressed herself into Lorelai's frame. Her little arms hugging Lorelai tight. "I love you."

"Nice save baby girl," Lorelai hugged the child back. "Now eat, eat, eat."

"You too. Eat, eat, eat." Rory waved her hand at a for some reason hesitant Gigi. "What?"

"Am I supposed to eat with the kids?" Gigi cast a look at the set table.

"Ahh the inbetween," Lorelai held her hand out to the thirteen year old. "You eat wherever you want Cutie. Mom can sit at the table. Everyone's happy."

"Cool!" Gigi perked up. "Can I have wine? Only with my food. In France we can drink wine with a meal as a kid."

"Really?" Kitty turned around from the food table in delight. "Can I have wine?"

"No," Lorelai shook her head. "You can have special apple bubbly drink or grape drink. You can have a wine glass."

"One of your wine glasses," Rory interjected, fearful for her glassware. "And Gigi, you can try a wine, maybe a spritzer."

"I'll be barmaid," April stepped out of the unofficial food line and over to the counter which was covered with copious bottles.

"There you go Mom, a seat at the table," Lorelai gestured towards the table. She smiled at Emily. "I think Willow wants to sit next to you."

"And me," Sam sounded taking a step back from the table as Kitty and Willow tried to put more food on his already full dinosaur plate. He stared at his plate for a second. When he looked up he looked at each of the adults in turn, sagely holding their gaze for a moment. Finally he let out a beaming smile. "I like Christmas, but I know why Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly," he raised his plate and then scrunched his shoulders. "Eating is fun."

"Spoken like a true Gilmore. Danes in name Gilmore in stomach." Lorelai chuckled. "Come on let the Feasting begin!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"This gift wrap is multiplying," Luke grumbled as he continued to try and clean up the carnage of the day. Emily had done her usual, showering the children with gifts and the library area at the back of the living room had become the temporary refuse dump until the kids had finally fallen asleep.

"It's special magic Christmas paper," April smiled weakly at him.

"I guess." Luke looked back at her. She looked small, young, he wanted to run over to her and scoop her into his arms like he could do with the younger kids. "You want anything?"

"No, I'm waiting for Jess."

"Jess?" Luke stood up wincing, his muscles protesting.

"He's coming back?" She told him while Luke stared at her in surprise.

"We're going to the Secret Bar," Rory interjected plopping down beside April and giving the younger woman a comforting smile.

"Why? We have plenty of booze here?" Lorelai asked trotting across to Luke with another bin sack to put the paper in.

"We need a more private venue," Rory cast her eyes towards the ceiling. "Jess doesn't want Liz to hear."

"Hear what?" Luke asked staring at the ceiling in confusion.

"Ahh," Lorelai nodded in understanding. "Well only good things about us, OK." She gestured to herself and Luke and then crossed back to the sofa depositing a warm kiss on the top of their heads. "Even if your Dad is terrible and forgot the present he said he'd got me."

"I didn't. I was waiting for it to be quieter" Luke stared at her still confused what was going on between Rory, Jess and April.

"Oh really, I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Yeah" Luke dropped the sack of paper and marched towards the hallway, he grabbed Lorelai by the waist pulling her with him. He pulled her into the kitchen, over to the stove.

"Are you actually giving me my present or did you just want to find out what they were doing?" Lorelai asked taking a step back from him and studying him.

"Both."

"They are having a meeting of we have crap parents brigade. Jess and Rory being elder statemen in that party." Lorelai explained. Her blue eyes scanned the stove area. "So, present?"

"Really? They are going to…"

"Rory and Jess are going to make April feel better about the crapness. Now, present!" she reached out with a flex of her hand.

"Alright, alright," Luke muttered reaching behind the pot that held the cooking spatulas and ladles to pull out a small jewellery box.

"Hmm," Lorelai took it and brought it to her ear shaking it. "Is it books?"

"No."

"Candy?"

"Lorelai just open it," Luke begged.

"OK, fine," Lorelai popped open the box. She looked confused. After a beat she lifted the contents and set the box on the counter her eyes fixed on the charm bracelet that had been inside. "I know these," she whispered in confusion her fingers tracing the charms.

"When your Mom was clearing out she had me go drop things off at Goodwill for her. A lot of it was your Dad's old stuff that had no sentimental value or in Emily's mind real value." He shook his head "Do you know she gave away suits that cost more then some people's monthly salary?"

"Circle back on the point Hun."

"Right, sorry," Luke reached forward to take the bracelet from her. He undid the clasp and continued. "There was a whole bunch of what Emily called cheap costume jewellery, not so cheap really and there was a whole bunch of cuff links. The Goodwill guy didn't think they would sell them so I took them back and then I sent them to Liz and she turned them into this for you". He joined the bracelet around her wrist.

"These are Dad's?" Lorelai stared down at her wrist. She lifted her arm and studied the bracelet intently.

"I figured there wasn't much else of his that you could wear, unless you started wearing his bowties as a hair ribbon or something. So," he gestured at her wrist. Lorelai looked close to tears, his inside seized for a moment thinking it had been a huge mistake. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Lorelai barely got out before bursting into tears. She took a step forward and buried her face into his shoulder. Somewhere in the burbles was a thank you.

Luke encircled her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her crown. "See why I wanted the quiet?"

"Yeah," Lorelai lifted her head leaving his shoulder damp. "I love it." She jangled the charms and gave a wet sound of delight.

"You're welcome," Luke kept his arms in place. "Happy Christmas."

"Back at you Hun."


	40. Herstory

**AN - Thank you guys, thank you for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed the Christmas in November chapter. Sam is very much his Daddy's mini me. The April Anna situation (sigh) there is a resolution I promise but sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. So this next chapter is actually one of the first ideas I had for this story when I was brainstorming so it was a long time coming, and we're reaching the summit of the evolution of Emily Gilmore, and a particular image of her which I found mesmirising (if completely out of canon character my how my AU her's grown) Also more townies (and twins) because they have been lacking of late. I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading , let me know what you think ;)x**

* * *

 **Chapter 40 – Herstory**

January rolled in with a breeze as cold and numbing as they all felt inside. The temporary holiday glow quickly passed and Lorelai found herself sinking into a funk as the inn hit its inevitable post holiday slump and the spa showed no signs of picking up the number of gym memberships she'd been hoping for. The work worry, combined with Luke's mood over the ongoing but not changing Anna/ April card return situation added to her sliding mood as the 20th January approached.

Having dropped the kids off at school she found herself taking the familiar route into town rather than the 'back way' to work, however when she reached the square, even though she figured she was using her homing instinct towards Luke' she found herself walking down the street that Emily's new house resided on it.

She stood outside and stared up at it in confusion and mock wonder. It looked so warm and inviting. She wasn't sure why she had found herself here, nor why she seemed completely unable to walk away.

"Hey there Toots!"

She spun around at Babette's raspy greeting. Lorelai smiled at Babette and Patty walked arm in arm towards her. "Hey you two."

"You coming in?" Babette scurried past her towards the house.

"What?" Lorelai stared after the two older women in surprise. She watched in disbelief as they walked down the short, immaculate path towards the house.

"We've got strudel," Patty nodded down at the Weston's Bakery bag that Babette was holding.

"Can't say no to strudel," Babette called over her shoulder as she pushed the brass doorbell.

The black door was thrown open almost immediately by Emily. Lorelai took a step back in surprise, her eyebrows raising as she watched her mother gleefully beckon Patty and Babette into the house. "Mom?"

"Lorelai?" Emily glanced at her in surprise. "Where you coming to see me?"

"I…" Lorelai began to be interrupted by Babette stepping back out of the house.

"Come on Dollface, we got coffee, strudel and gossip. You look like you need a good sesh."

Incapable of thinking of any kind of excuse not to go in, and desperately wanting to find out what was going on, Lorelai trundled up the path. She smiled weakly at Emily when she slipped past her into the house.

"Did you need something?" Emily asked curiously, holding her hand out to take Lorelai's coat "Berta, can you get another cup for Lorelai please."

"I just sort of found myself here and now there is strudel," Lorelai shrugged. She plodded into the living room and took a seat in the spare armchair. She waited in patient awe while Babette, Patty and Emily went through what seemed to be a practised ritual of getting coffee and handing out the pastry with a healthy dose of gossip she hadn't heard. This continued for ten minutes by which time they trailed off having found their coffee cool enough to drink. Lorelai had already drunk hers and nervously looked at the clock. She really should be getting to the work, or at least wake up from whatever rabbit hole dream she was currently in.

"Is it April?" Emily broached the short silence.

"Huh?" Lorelai looked at her in in confusion.

"What's the deal with April?" Babette looked at Emily inquiringly. "I ran into her the other day she was all excited about going down to New York for the Female March."

"The Woman's March." Emily corrected her softly. "I'm trying to convince her to adapt her plans. It shall be so cold and they have nowhere to stay," Emily straightened her shoulders. "Nothing further has happened with her mother has it?"

"No," Lorelai shook her head. "April is OK, so is Rory and all the kids. I just. I dunno, found myself here."

The three older women gave her a bemused look, which matched how she felt inside and they returned to their gossiping. She sank back in the chair and studied her mother. Emily looked enlivened. It didn't surprise her that Babette and Patty had taken Emily under their wings, they were always good at collecting and caring for the waifs and strays that passed through town, but she was surprised her Mom was so into it. This was clearly a regular occurrence. She frowned as she caught the tail end of what her Mom was saying.

"…Absolutely right. I'll suggest it to her and her friends can stay also."

Lorelai closed her eyes and clicked her heels together. Yep she was definitely asleep, or in a parallel universe because there is no way she just heard what she thought she had heard. There was no way Emily Gilmore was going to the Woman's March. There was no way that her Mom had made best friends with the ladies who had mothered her when she moved to Stars Hollow all those years ago. She sighed. She'd wake up in a minute it was all a strange dream.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hi Grandma," April answered her cellphone. She put down the crochet hook she had just managed to learn how to use.

"I just wanted to check if you had found somewhere to stay for your trip to New York." Emily's voice sounded over the phone.

"No, we don't have anywhere to stay. We are just going to drive down and drive back in the day," April winced at the forced exhalation on the other end of the phone.

"It will be very cold and a very long day April. I'm not sure I'm happy with you doing that."

"No, I know it will be long, but we're in a group. We'll take care of each other. It's only a couple hours drive."

"Seeing as I would rather you rest, I have a vacant apartment in Manhatten. You and your friends are welcome to stay there. Obviously I'd want to be there to check that everything is in order."

April blinked in surprise. "Huh? …I'm sorry, you would do that?"

"I don't make a habit of saying things I don't mean April."

"There are nine of us."

"That will be fine."

"Hang on. I'll check." April lowered her phone and stared at the women in front of her, a mixture of professors, both tenured and adjunct, post docs and post grads all from her faculty. Some were busy producing the boxy pink square hats that were designed to be the statement fashion accessory of the upcoming weekend. Some were working on signs. "Farrah. Is there space on the bus for my Grandma to come? She said she can put us up in one of her apartments. But she wants to chaperone."

"All of us?" The young woman cast a look around the collection of 9 women. "It's a minibus so sure."

"As long as we are OK with sleeping on the floor?" April shrugged.

"Would everyone want to stay in New York, April's Grandmother can put us up in an apartment. We'd have to rough it on the floor." Farrah called across the room.

There were general murmurs of consent and April placed the cellphone back on her ear. "Hi Grandma? That would be great. Are you sure you'd want to come with us though? We'll be travelling by minibus. And there would be 9 of us. So you wouldn't have any privacy. I'm not sure you'd be able to do much shopping either."

"That is fine, though I'm sure the fire department would have issue with occupancy, but it's only for one night. And I won't be shopping I'll be coming with you."

"You'll be what?" April's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Coming with you on this march," Emily stated nonchalantly. "It's important to you and I want to support you and ensure you're safety."

"You know we are protesting Trump right?" April asked carefully. "And promoting women's issues."

"Last I checked I was a woman," Emily muttered glibly. "And as for the other thing, I won't hold a placard or chant anything derogatory."

"OK, well, great!" April shook her head in disbelief. "I can come pick you up and we can get the minibus together."

"That would be wonderful." Emily sounded pleased. "Send me the details once you know them."

"Sure, Thanks Grandma." April ended the call and shook her head in amazement. "I have got to call Lorelai, she is going to freak!"

"Why?" Farrah asked her focus intent on the hat she was knitting.

"My Grandmother is a Republican 1, she's probably more like a half percenter. This is insane!"

"Insane times call for insane measures," One of the professors called from her position painting signs. "The more the merrier I say."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Oh My God!" Lorelai set her phone down on the table and stared in Luke's direction. "Oh My God!" she repeated dramatically, making sure he heard her. She wasn't crazy, she didn't need her ears testing. It was all true.

"You need to be louder Mommy," Kitty gave her a knowing look. Kitty placed the back of her hand against her forehead and feigned a swoon. "Oh my goodness!"

"What now?" Luke muttered as he walked past them to give a customer their dinner.

"Mommy's call made her go Oh My God!" Grace filled him in.

"That was April, informing me that she is going to the Women's March with…drumroll… my mother." Lorelai flared her eyes dramatically. "I think we're in a parallel dimension."

"What?" Luke looked at her blankly.

"Grandma and April are going to The Woman's March," Willow swivelled in her seat to look at him. "It's protesting the new President and how horrible he is to ladies."

"Why aren't we going?" Kitty asked curiously.

"Because Daddy has work and Mommy doesn't have enough hands, it's going to be really busy." Lorelai said at the same time as Luke said, "Because it's pointless."

"It's not Daddy," Kitty shook her head. "Mommy I like yours better. Can we go to Miss Patty's protest? She was telling about us at choreography."

"Miss Patty is protesting?" Lorelai looked at kitty in surprise. "I thought Taylor said no?"

"He did say no," Luke nodded as he folded his arms, smirking slightly at the memory of the town meeting just over a week ago. "I thought Patty was going to hit him with the chair."

"She's protesting on her property, something about not letting the big guts get in the way because of stupid town ordinance," Kitty bounced in delight. "Daddy can I have mashed potato instead of fries?"

"Sure," Luke nodded. He turned to go back to the counter, nearly tripping on Sam who had approached silently from behind. "Careful Sam!"

"I was standing still Daddy," Sam looked up at him pointedly. "Can I protest even if I'm not a girl?"

"Yes you can my darling Baby Boy," Lorelai pulled him towards her and kissed him softly on the cheek. "We can go to Patty's for a bit to show solidarity."

"We'll need signs then!" Kitty nodded resolutely. She scrunched her legs up and then jumped from her seat "I'm getting boxes from the back Daddy, we can use the card."

"Kitty, no, you can't go in the back," Luke chased after his fast moving daughter.

The rest of the tables watched them go silently. The diner tittered in amusement as Luke and Kitty performed a little dance as she wove around him while he tried to stop her going into the back storage room.

"What should we put on our signs Mommy?" Willow asked excitedly, bending down to collect her bag and pull out her pencil case.

"Mommy will think of something age appropriate," Lorelai assured her, drawing a blank of anything she could use with the children present.

"Willow draw a cat," Grace pulled up onto her knees and leaned to take a pencil from Willow "All the tv people got made about touching pussy cats."

"I got card," Kitty called triumphantly, darting out of the stockroom with a collapsed cardboard box. Luke lumbered after her. "That was fun Daddy."

Luke folded his arms and stood at the end of the table glowering at her. "No it really wasn't."

"It was!" Kitty insisted and slammed the card on the table. "So what are we doing?"

"Willow's drawing a cat," Sam informed her. "Because we shouldn't touch pussy cats."

Lorelai pressed her lips in amusement and looked up at Luke with expectant glee. "You want to explain that one?"

Luke rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and gave an exhausted sigh. "No!"

* * *

 **xXx**

April glanced at her grandmother out of the corner of her eye. They had had an early start, which had nearly ended in an argument with April insisting that Emily wear something more appropriate for the day they had ahead. It had made them late and then the minibus had got stuck in traffic. Something which Emily had grumped about owing to her distaste of the vehicle. The minibus was fine but certainly not to Emily's normal standards. They had dropped off their belongings at Emily's apartment which had seemed to dampen Emily's mood further, over the 'squalor' it had been left in; a few scuffs on the wall and the furniture not in the position she had laid it out in 3 years ago. Now however as they walked with the throngs of people out of the subway, there was a smile forming on her Grandmother's face. Around them swirled pink hats, large placards and a sense of defiance.

April reached into her coat pocket and drew out a spare hat and held it towards her Grandmother. Emily looked at it cautiously and then looked around at the ground and took it gingerly.

A group of protesters similar to Emily's age walked past and gave Emily a raised chin acknowledgement. "Still fighting the same old shit." One called rolling her eyes as they walked passed.

Emily smiled awkwardly at them and looked down at the hat in her hand.

"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to Grandma," April told her taking one of the signs her group had prepared. "I just don't want you getting cold."

Emily glanced at the placard that April was holding. **Respect my Existence or Expect Resistance.** Nervously she pulled the boxy pink hat onto her head. "Do I look OK?"

"Badass!" a tall man called, offering her a high five as he and his group walked passed

Emily let out a little sound of alarm and April stepped in to prevent him being left hanging. "Baby steps," she gave an almost apologetic smile to the guy and then glanced back at Emily. "You do look Badass though Grandma."

"Is that supposed to be some kind of complement?"

"The best kind!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mom Come on," Gigi begged.

Rory glanced up from her laptop at her daughter. "You can go on ahead if you want. I really need to finish this. I'm in a flow."

"I want to go with you," Gigi moaned flopping back on the couch. "We're supposed to be doing this together as a family."

"Mom has to work Gigi," Spencer told her from his place in the armchair apparently reading a book. "This is really what you're into?"

Gigi turned and looked at him. "It's a really good book Dad."

"But it's about girls…"

"Spoilers!" Rory called out. "It's in my pile to read." She looked up from her laptop again. "Glama will be there and I won't be long… I think. I just really need to get this done."

"I don't see why they needed fixing anyway," Gigi flopped her arms in annoyance. "I thought they were perfect."

"Writing is rewriting."

"They didn't need rewriting," Gigi reiterated and got up from the couch to go look out the window of the apartment. "My stories are perfect."

Rory looked up and properly and studied the teenager in the window. "I'm changing them enough so those stories will still be your stories and these stories will be ones that hopefully everyone will enjoy."

Gigi shrugged. "Whatever."

Rory looked back at Spencer for help. The subject of the stories had been a thorny one. Gigi was caught between a place of thinking her writing a book was cool and hating the fact that it was the stories that had been written for her all those years ago that were being used.

"Don't you want other people to enjoy those stories like you did?" Spencer asked putting down the book he had been looking at on the side of the armchair and leaning forward.

"I guess," Gigi grumbled picking at the window putty.

Rory pressed her lips together knowing that there was a but coming, the teenage moodiness seemed to be starting a year late with Gigi but now that she'd hit fourteen there was this surliness coming in as she descended into the hormonal hell of puberty. "It's what they asked me to…"

"It's not the same," Gigi cut her off. "I used to get so excited about getting those stories, the came in the mail. Who sends mail anymore? They were our thing and now they are going to be everyone's thing. I liked them being our thing."

"I know and I'm sorry, it's just that was what they liked. It's what the agency wanted me to work on. They didn't like my other stuff. This was the one they thought had potential."

"Well duh! They are awesome!" Gigi turned around, she leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. "It's….well…those stories are like one of the best thing from my early pre you childhood. All the crap and the abandonment and there were these stories from my sister because my sister wanted me." She sighed dramatically. "Whatever, come on Dad I want to go protest."

Rory swallowed and stared at the screen. She pressed save. "Give me a second. I need to shut it down." Rory began the process, silently mulling word choices in her head so she could write them down later. She yelped in surprise as Gigi slung her arms around her neck. "That only works so many times you know."

"I know," Gigi pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'm getting the hats."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hey Miss Patty," Lorelai called as she ushered the four children onto the grass outside the dance studio. There was a small gaggle of people, all looking a little cold, but all wearing smiles as they milled about with signs. Lorelai looked down as Willow made a little snort of amusement "What Honeybunc?h"

"The sign," Willow pointed at a sign that someone was holding. "It's like Mary Poppins."

"Morey made it," Babette called brandishing an armful of signs. "Saw it on the instantgram thing. Couldn't decide between bragadocious or not my potus. We made two. You guys got signs?"

"We got signs," Lorelai gestured to the small placards the children were holding.

"Love Trumps Hate, good one. Did you draw the cat Willow?" Babette asked scanning the sign.s "that's good. I'll have to get you to draw my Apricot, poor old dude's getting on now."

"Yeah. I could do that." Willow preened at the praise. "Is Apricot OK?"

"He's fine, I mean 16 is a good innings for a cat," Babette looked up at her signs. "Maybe we shoulda drawn cats rather than vaginas. I didn't think about the kids."

"Vaginas?" Sam shuddered. "Why would you draw girl parts?"

Kitty exhaled heavily with a magnificent eye roll. "We were trying to protect you. Pussy is slang for girl parts."

"You're not allowed to say that either," Willow told him seriously.

Sam looked up at Lorelai in complete horror. "The talking TV people were talking about the shouty man touching girl parts?"

"Yeah," Lorelai mumbled.

Babette winced. "Sorry Toots." she waved her hand apologetically and stumbled off with her signs.

"You'll pay," Lorelai called after her.

"Why would a man want to touch girl parts?" Sam looked thoroughly perplexed.

"Well…" Lorelai paused, what a time to have to deal with teaching her six year old son about consent.

"Patty, I told you this couldn't happen."

"Thank you Taylor Doose, for once you're on time," Lorelai glanced skywards and then at Taylor as the town selectman bustled across the street waving his hands in despair.

"This kind of protest is against Town Ordinance Number 35 Section 9, subsection 24a paragraph c through f."

"This protest is on private property," Patty marched forward. She stopped and the end of her property, her toes level with the pavement. "This is a party where we happen to be using our First Amendment Rights, we our redressing our grievances at the new government's stance on women's rights."

Taylor stared at her in anger. "It is against town ordinance…"

"Taylor, I burned my bras in the sixties, I was one of the first women to claim my right to have contraception. I have been divorced 5 times. Do you really think I'm going to let you, of all people, tell me what I can and cannot do on my property?"

"But…but…it's the President, he's just started… he hasn't done anything yet," Taylor whined.

"He's done plenty," Patty sent Taylor a glowering look. "We are going to keep to the grass, we are going to have a peaceful protest, and if you want to join us you are more than welcome."

Movement caught Lorelai's eye and she saw Sam trotting to the road, ready to cross it. "Sam!" she called realising that he hadn't checked for cars properly. He spun to look at her his face solemn. His placard was scrunched in his hand. "What are you doing? Do you need the bathroom?"

"No Mommy, I need a new sign," Sam stared down at the crumpled cardboard in his hands.

"Your sign is great baby," Lorelai walked towards him.

Sam shrugged and looked up. "I need a sign that says how mad I am."

Lorelai crouched beside Sam and smoothed his dark hair. "Why are you mad Baby?"

"About…About," Sam's cheeks burned red as he struggled to articulate his feelings. "I need to talk to Daddy."

"Ok Baby," Lorelai kissed him softly. "Patty can you watch the girls for me please?"

"Of course Lorelai," Patty called not moving from her square off against Taylor.

Sam held his arms up and Lorelai scooped him into her arms. "I'm sorry Mommy wanted to watch the news when you were about."

Sam flopped down onto her shoulder, draping himself like he had done when he was a baby only now his legs could wrap all the way around her. "I don't like the talky tv people. Everyone's too mad."

"I know." Lorelai pressed a kiss into his dark curls and then looked both ways before crossing the street. "Let get Daddy to give us some pie. Everything is better after pie."

* * *

 **xXx**

With a round of cacophonous laughter the group of ten women spilled into the large living area of the Manhattan apartment. Emily found herself pulled along by the exhilaration, not caring one jot as the women threw down their belongings and dropped bags of food on the table so that everyone could start eating. She felt chilled to the bone, but she didn't mind at all. There was a lightness in her heart. A joy that wanted to burst out of her. She had spent the day marching with these woman. She had found herself joining in in the chants. She had cheered at speeches. Stomped her feet and clapped her hands. She had been a part of groups her entire adult life and this was the first time she had ever felt truly part of anything. She shrugged off her coat and moved to put it in the closet by the front door. When she turned she gasped in surprise at the sight of Susan one of the older professors with her hand in the back pocket of Heather's jeans. The two women were stood extremely close to each other as they sipped on the beers they had just open.

"Grandma, are you OK?" April asked crossing the apartment with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm fine thank you," Emily tried to smile. "I didn't realise Susan and Heather are a couple."

The two women chuckled. "We won't do anything tonight, don't worry. We like our privacy."

"Do?" Emily mumbled and slowly walked towards the table.

"Grandma!" April cringed blushing crimson.

"I'm sorry." Emily blushed a matching shade. "I don't know where that came from?"

"You've been in an open and honest community, Barriers have been broken," Farrah told her softly as she wafted passed April with a wry smile. "I don't mind you asking."

"You're a lesbian?" Emily regarded the young, woman in front of her. Farrah was young, exotic looking, certainly not someone that she would have picked out as being a lesbian, but if she had learned anything today it was that it was impossible to tell anything about a anyone. She had seen all sorts of humanity today. Her old world of upper class Connecticut sameness had blinded her to the world as a whole.

"I'm pan," Farrah told her.

"Pan?" Emily frowned, the only pans she knew were cookwear or Peter Pan. Neither of those fitted the young woman before her unless it was some kind of not wanting to grow up scenario.

"I have the ability to love everyone. I don't care about gender or orientation. It's the person." Farrah explained, "and as for between girls. It's just sex and personal preference. I prefer oral, some people prefer toys or…"

"Oral!" Emily's face paled.

"You know being ate…."

"OK!" April jumped in horrified at where the conversation was going.

Emily stared at the young woman in surprise. "I'm sorry, you mean like a blow" her voice failed on the word job instead coming out as a splutter "but for women?"

"Yeah," It was Farrah's turn to look surprised. "None of the guys you've been with has …?"

"Guys?" Emily wriggled her shoulders in disgust. "I've only ever _been_ , as you put it, with my husband."

"Seriously?" Another of the women mumbled.

"Makes perfect sense. It's generational, and class." Heather interjected. "Emily forgive me, but you are in your mid seventies? Her family was most likely upper middle class at the least. She's the generation that went to College for their Mrs Degree."

"I suppose I did." Emily fiddled with her sleeve, perhaps Farrah was right, walls had been broken down with perfect strangers. Now she desperately wanted to build them back up. This was not something she wanted to share with anyone it was private between her and Richard. In reality it was just hers, her memory of almost fifty years of marriage. "I had no real desire to become a historian."

"You're good at history though," April bounced nervously on her toes. "Do you want a drink Grandma?"

"Emily, you can ask us anything you want." Susan told her softly as she disentangled herself from Heather. "We are open books, we don't expect anything from you in return. Nothing will go further than this apartment. You can share or not. Just know we will be honest with you."

Emily glanced at April, she did not want to talk about such things in front of her granddaughter, but when in her life was she ever going to have a chance like this again. When was the spirit of a room attuned to honesty and care as it was now? This was one of the few times in her life she had been with a group of women who didn't seem to want to judge her or one up her. "Alright?" she said tentatively. "I would like that."


	41. Relative Roles

**AN - Thank you so much guys, Emily at the march was such a wierd image that hit my brain and I just had to use it. Little bit more of her evolution and also a redux to an actual show storyline which was one of my all time favourite :) Sorry the chapter is a bit later than usual. I've had an evil essay this week and have had no writing time because the essay took forever, so I've broken my rule of having three chapters written, but we're near the end so I'm not going to get behind, because we're nearly done :( The Berta talk is done with google translate so fingers crossed there is nothing rude and if you can read it, it makes sense. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, thank you for reading, let me know what you think, xoxo**

* * *

 **Chapter 41 – Relative Roles**

Luke turned at the sound of riotous laughter emanating from the corner of the diner. Emily sat holding court with Babette and Patty. He couldn't help but think they were missing a cauldron the way they were cackling with glee and he certainly did not want to know what was being discussed.

"Order," Ceser barked depositing the plate of pancakes on the pass and disappearing back into the kitchen.

Luke lifted the plate with a sigh and steeled himself for the approach. As he neared the table Patty rose with a cheerful goodbye and after a moment so did Babette. Emily looked slightly crestfallen and said something that Luke could not hear to Babette.

"I should get back to Morey," Babette told Emily as she shoved her chair beneath the table. "Me and him need to get in on this, or more to the point, Morey needs to get in on this," she pointed a thumb at herself and let out a dirty cackle. Emily blushed. Luke felt his grip on the plate and his sanity beginning to slip. "See ya Luke," Babette waved to him as she bustled out the diner.

Luke made the faintest of acknowledgements, not wanting to make eye contact with the woman. He shook himself and strode the remaining distance to Emily. "Pancakes."

"Thank you Luke," Emily stared down at the plate as he placed it in front of her, also seemingly unable to make eye contact. "You makes excellent pancakes here. Berta only makes crepe style ones but these, so fluffy and delicious."

"Thanks," Luke turned.

"May I have some more coffee," Emily called after him.

"Sure," Luke strode back to collect the pot and then returned to Emily. Once he poured her some coffee he turned to make another hasty retreat.

"Has anything further happened with April and her mother?"

Luke sighed and turned to look at Emily. She seemed to have recovered her ability to look him in the eye. He settled for staring at her forehead. "No, April doesn't want to talk about it or for me to try and do anything."

"She won't talk with me either. I tried to talk to her about it in New York," Emily sighed heavily. "I hope she's not bottling it up. These things weigh heavily. I know she is resilient but there is only so much someone can take."

"She's fine."

"I know she is. I want her to remain fine." Emily toyed with her pancakes with a fork. "And Lorelai, she seemed down when I spoke to her on Monday."

"She's fine too. Work. Kids. All the…um…stuff… the time of the year. You know." Luke winced.

"Just a little of the Winter Blues then," Emily sighed. "Well February is a short month. Spring shall soon be here and we have Sam's birthday to celebrate."

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "I better get on."

"Of course," Emily turned downed to her plate of food. "Thank you Luke."

"Sure," Luke mumbled racing towards the kitchen. He had some bleach in there, maybe he could tip it into his brain and wash out the mental image he now had of Babette, Morey and Emily, all doing things he so did not need to see. He wasn't sure how he felt about this new close Emily. He liked his mother in law but he got what Lorelai meant about miles and miles. Sometimes a bit of distance was nice.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Mom?"

Lorelai turned at the sound of Rory's soft voice coming from the front door. She quickly threw the last load of laundry into the washer and hurried out of the laundry room. "Hey Babe, you OK?" She glanced at the clock, suddenly concerned she had gotten lost in the never-ending piles of laundry and should have collected the kids from school. It was 2.10. "Free period?" she asked Rory.

"Tuesday is my 'free' afternoon. I stay at Chilton and do admin until it's time to collect Gigi or end up covering for illness. Gigi's on her theatre trip tonight though and I'm on a mission," Rory told her quickly. "I went to the inn first."

"I went in the morning, there is nothing that needs doing. Arielle has everything under control, Shannon in the Spa and as I have a laundry pile the size of Mount Kilimanjaro, I figured I would get on top of it. So what's the mission? Not mountain climbing I hope."

Rory ran her hands through her hair and sighed heavily. "I think Gigi is about to start getting visits from Aunt Flo."

"Oh, that bitch again." Lorelai good-naturedly rolled her eyes. "Poor Gigi."

Rory nodded exhaustedly, "I can't find the book we had. It's got lost somewhere in the move and I wondered if you have anything or it might be here."

Lorelai glanced towards the living room and its library "There might still be the book we used with April but that is probably very out of date." She screwed up her face. "Do those books go out of date?"

"Not since the inclusion of the implant in the contraception section. I don't think much has really changed," Rory shrugged. "The actual puberty bit, I think has been the same since the dawn of time. Boys grow bigger and hairier; girls grow extra parts and have to have meetings with Aunt Flo."

"We really do luck out on that front, she really sucks," Lorelai shook her head and tottered into the living room. She cast her eyes over the many shelves of books. Mostly children's and YA's, mostly Willow's "I'm not seeing it. Your sister is worse than you with the books. I clearly give some kind of book loving gene to my offspring. At least with Grace she just reads Willow's old books. Sam is still firmly wedged in dinosaurs books. I mean look. 15 books on dinosaurs and those are just the one here. What is the difference? The boy can probably out argue Alan Grant on the subject. Nope sorry Babe unless you want to compare Aunt Flo to a velociraptor we have nothing here."

"I'll go get something in the book store. In Hartford," Rory added before Lorelai had a chance to interrupt. "I know better than to buy that kind of book here. The last thing she will want is everyone knowing. I mean I know everyone will know because of her age."

"But a girl must have her mystique," Lorelai nodded. "Coffee? I got 20 minutes before I have to go do pick up."

"I would love a coffee," Rory smiled gratefully.

"One of those days?"

"Not really just I'm flagging."

"It's only Tuesday Babe. You OK?" Lorelai studied Rory curiously.

"Yeah," Rory mumbled, not sounding Ok at all.

"Rory," Lorelai pressed carefully. "Spill to Mommy."

Rory exhaled heavily. "I feel out of sorts. Edits and work and Spencer."

Lorelai studied her carefully. "I'm guessing it's more the last one then the edits and work."

Rory looked sheepishly at the floor. "I really want to be a family living together, but I kind of like the way things are now. I like being here. I want him to get a job that he loves but I want to be selfish and live how I want. I like living in Stars Hollow and working at Chilton."

"Not selfish," Lorelai told her softly. "Maybe one of these Yale jobs will happen."

"Maybe," Rory sighed.

"Maybe Aunt Flo's visiting you. You always get more emotional when she visits." Lorelai smiled comfortingly at her. "It will work out these things always do."

"I guess. I'm really not good in stressful situations," Rory smiled weakly.

"It's a family trait. We run from the danger."

"We are definitely not Boov," Rory agreed as she followed Lorelai into the kitchen. She paused by the counter and rested her hands on the top while Lorelai continued onto the coffee machine. "On the subject of our budding Alan Grant, any thoughts on his birthday present?"

Lorelai shook her head in mock dismay. "When I asked him, he wanted a spade; apparently he's going to dig up the garden in search of fossils."

"A spade, I was thinking more like a lego set, like one of the Jurassic park sets."

"Oh good one. Though maybe getting him into Legos is dangerous. I really don't want to stand on little tiny plastic blocks," Lorelai poured a healthy measure of coffee and handed it to Rory. "I would just ask him, he is OK with no surprises."

"Will do," Rory nodded. She held her mug out to clink it. "Mom," Rory stared down at her mug. "Was I a nightmare when I went through puberty?"

Lorelai shook her head. "You had the odd moment but your nightmare was 19-20. I think 13-15 would have been preferable, seeing as you were here, well the Crap Shack but C'est-La-Vie. Just make sure you have a stock of chocolate and ice cream. Get a heat pad and make sure she doesn't use tampons before she's ready. That's about it really, everyone is different," Lorelai shrugged. "She'll be OK."

"I know," Rory smirked. "It's me getting through it I worry about."

"You work in a school, you are surrounded by the horror hormones. 1 itty-bitty cutie pie is going to be a breeze," Lorelai smiled teasingly at her.

Rory flicked her eyes skywards. "I'll hold you to that."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai almost broke into a run as she headed back towards the diner. Her task for the afternoon had come to a crashing and horrifying end. Well, really it had never started. With a little hop skip she jumped up the step and barrelled into the diner that she had left only a few minutes earlier. Luke was frustratingly nowhere to be seen.

"What is it Mommy?"

Lorelai turned to face the children sat at the big red table where she had left them working on homework. Her children knew her too well and clearly she was not hiding the horror from her face. "Absolutely nothing my Beautiful Ones. Where is Daddy?"

"Store room," Willow informed her softly, turning her attention back to her book.

Lorelai scurried past the children and barrelled into the storeroom, nearly colliding with Luke who was stood near the door wrestling with a large bag of flour.

"Careful," he groaned nearly falling over, a soft plume of white erupting from the bag. He managed to set the bag on the shelf. "Where's the fire?"

"Everywhere! The fire of Hades are erupting! Mount Doom is taking over the shire!" Lorelai waved her hands dramatically.

"What is it now?" Luke tiredly sat back on the table. "Was Taylor peak Taylor?"

"Oh No. I did not even get to speak to Mr Smooth, because when I got there…" She shuddered at the thought. "He was kissing my Mom."

"Taylor was kissing Emily?" Luke sat up straight in surprise.

"They were laughing and Mom touching his forearm and then he leaned forward and kissed her." Lorelai stared at Luke in horror, her eyes wide. "He kissed her!" She raised her hands to her temples. "Oh My God, is Taylor Doose going to be my new Daddy?"

"Now come on," Luke stood up and paced backwards and forwards a few times. "Taylor and Emily?"

"Apparently she liked ugly sweaters. The next holiday season it's going to be the seventeen of us and Taylor Doose. He probably has a special carving knife. He's going to try and usurp you."

"Taylor kissed Emily?"

"All French style," Lorelai waved her hand dramatically, building up steam.

"Taylor and Emily were making out?" Luke gagged.

"No like on the cheeks, kiss, kiss." Lorelai mimed the interaction and returned to her wide-eyed stance of horrified indignation. Luke sat back down on the table and stared at her with his expression of exhaustion. "What? Why have you stopped pacing? This is a horrific situation. Much pacing is required."

"They weren't kissing," Luke shook his head. "I mean, they kissed. But that's like a goodbye to friends. We should probably be weirded out that she and Taylor are friends."

"This…How…I mean…"Lorelai spluttered before letting out an annoyed shriek. "How are you so calm about this?"

"I've given up," Luke offered lamely.

"She's taking over my friends and she is frenching with Taylor Doose." Lorelai scowled.

Luke grimaced. "Don't say frenching," he held his hand out to her. "Com'ere,"

Lorelai took his hand and let him drag her into his frame. "Don't be sweet when I'm mad." She muttered resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not sweet," Luke rubbed her bicep. "Emily isn't taking over your friends. Patty and Babette are doing what they always do with new people, welcoming her in. They are making sure she's settled. I don't know about the Taylor thing but she's probably agreed to help him with some dumb town thing and he's buttering her up."

"Ew," Lorelai burbled. "That sounded dirty and when it's about my Mom, that is super gross! She is trying to take my friends, she has baked goods visits with Patty and Babette. They gossip."

"Patty and Babette gossip with everyone. That's just how they talk. She's not trying to take over your friends Lorelai. They are the welcome wagon, remember? They are feeling her out…do not say dirty or ew… figuring out where to place her, that's what they do. And it doesn't hurt anyone if they are friends with both of you."

Lorelai frowned, and with a pout took a step back feeling chastised. "I'm possessive."

Luke smirked. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He took a step towards the door and waved his hand. "Let's get you fed, you'll feel better after eating."

"I still need to talk to Taylor."

"Have Emily do it."

"Mean!" Lorelai swatted at his chest. "I want a double bacon cheeseburger for that."

"You know we're having pot roast. It's nearly done." Luke pushed her into the diner. "Go look after the kids while I go finish it."

* * *

 **xXx**

"And that there, don't you agree?" Emily glanced over her shoulder at Berta.

Sí," Berta shrugged softly, her face fixed in the easy smile that told Emily she was humouring her "però és només un gos, la Sra. Gilmore. No exigirà res, excepte menjar, caminar i estimar."

Emily tipped her head quizically at her maid.

Berta shook her head good naturedly. "Menjar," she mimed eating. "Caminar," she walked back and forth. "Estimar...to love". The maid placed her hands over her heart.

Emily blushed. "I...well...yes I suppose." She turned to look at the room she had spent the last two weeks put together. "I suppose it is fine for her."

"It is," Berta nodded emphatically. "Alejandro té la porta per posar a la porta, en cas que sigui molest. Et preocupa i gastes massa diners en un gos."

"Yes, but it's my money," Emily gave her an impish smile and then looked at her watch. "Oh we best get going. I want to get her settled before I introduce her to the children."

Berta nodded while giving a gentle roll of her eyes. "Yes Senora Gilmore."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Are you guys sure?" Lorelai called as she followed the twins and Grace up the path of Emily's house.

"Yes Mommy," Willow turned. The child walked backwards up the steps. "It's nice and warm here, and much quieter for doing my homework."

"Diner is loud and no Michel," Grace echoed reaching to push the doorbell.

"And changing at Grandma's is way better then changing in the locker room," Kitty patted her bag.

Lorelai sighed and followed the kids up the steps. The activity haul for the kids had started again in earnest and while she could mostly keep up with it, because of the Valentine's Day Hoopla preparation at the inn and spa it was all a bit crazy and she needed to get back to work post pick up. Sam had gone to the diner. Kitty had her ice dancing training. However, Willow had informed her that the diner and the inn were not suitable options as she had an important homework assignment to do, so it had to be grandma's. Lorelai wasn't exactly sure how important a ten year olds homework could be but Emily had eagerly accepted the unexpected visit request and Lorelai really didn't have the time of energy to argue.

"Hello my darlings," Emily called gleefully once she'd thrown the door open. "Come in come in. We have warm apple juice and Berta has made some snacks." Emily kissed the children in turn. "Just a banana for you as requested," Emily told Kitty. "You can change your clothes in my room."

"Thanks Grandma," Kitty bounced towards the steps.

"She requested a banana?" Lorelai stared at Emily in surprise. "When did she request a banana?"

"Yes," Emily closed the door behind her. "I walked passed the school at Lunchtime and the children were in the yard and they saw me and Kitty requested a banana."

"You walked passed the school?"

"She was walking Athena," Willow told her excitedly looking around the ground floor as she struggled out of her coat.

"Athena? Who's Athena?"

"Puppy!" Grace let out an excited exclamation, pointing towards the doorway to the room that was supposedly a small office.

Lorelai followed her youngest's finger to see a small black and white long haired dog putter out of the room its fluffy tail wagging in excitement.

"Lorelai this is Athena," Emily gestured towards the small canine with a smile. "She's a Kyi-Leo, 8 months old. I had her trained before she came to me. Isn't she precious?"

"You bought a dog?" Lorelai stared at her mother in surprise. "A dog?"

"Yes," Emily rolled her eyes, "may I suggest getting your eyes tested, she's right there."

"I can see her Mom," Lorelai stared at the small creature. They children descended on the animal who seemed only too pleased to receive their attention. "Guys be careful."

"She's fine Lorelai. Athena is a very affectionate animal." Emily folded her arms. "She's a companion dog."

"You bought a dog?" Lorelai repeated walking slowly towards the bundle of children and dog.

"You sound like an echo. Yes I bought a dog. There was no way I was going to join Patty's strip dance class and with all the cake and meals I'm consuming I felt I needed to get some exercise. It's so tiresome though, so I thought a dog would be beneficial. Plus I thought the children would like it. I know how they wanted a dog."

"That's why they were so eager to come here," Lorelai shook her head. "Aren't you worried she's going to chew everything up and stink up the place?"

"Oh no, she's been strictly trained and she knows her room is back there," Emily gestured towards the doorway from where the dog had come from. "She's very well behaved."

"The dog has a bedroom?" Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "Kitty Kat go get changed Bubba, we have to get to your class."

"Ok," Kitty grumbled dashing for the stairs.

"Mommy come stroke her," Willow called gleefully. "She's so lovely."

"She really is Lorelai," Emily made a pushing gesture with her hands to get Lorelai to move towards the dog.

Lorelai stumbled forward and slowly got down onto her knees. The girls reluctantly stopped stroking the dog. The dog looked momentarily confused and turned in a little circle before spotting Lorelai. Its little tail wagged excitedly and she trotted the few paces to Lorelai pressing her pretty head against Lorelai's hand. Lorelai smiled as she smoothed the silky black and white fur over the dog's head. With a sigh she lifted the small dog into her arms and cuddled her, the dog's tail bashing her arms in excitement. "Hi Athena, I'm your big sister Lorelai."

"Lorelai she's a pet, not a child," Emily griped from behind her.

"No Mom, that is not how it works. This is my furbaby sister. Kids, say hello to your Aunt."

"Oh for goodness sake," Emily started towards the kitchen. "Willow, Grace come get something to eat. You can play with the dog later."

Lorelai smirked and studied the animal's pretty face. "You take care of our Mom, OK," she grinned as the dog licked her nose. "I hope you haven't been licking your butt with that?" Beside her, Grace chuckled. "Come on you lot. Warm apple juice and snacks," She set Athena on the floor. They followed Emily towards the kitchen, the little dog following them only to plop onto her bottom on the threshold of the kitchen where a beautifully laid out table filled with finger sandwiches, cakes and cookies. Lorelai looked back at the dog and shook her head. "I guess one of us had to be the goodie goodie."

* * *

 **xXx**

Thoughts of the dog and delayed deliveries swum through her mind as she stared at the tracking details for the gift that she and Luke had picked for Sam. Now that she was back at the inn she really should be working but their meeting had been brought to an abrupt halt by Michel having to take a 'drastic important' phonecall, whatever that meant. The tracking information was saying it had been delivered to the inn, but seemingly no one had seen the parcel, so in the interim of waiting for Michel, Arielle had gone in search.

Lorelai squinted at the signature that was supposedly proof of delivery. It was a pixelated blob that might begin with an S. Also maybe had an a in it. Which limited the potential employees who could have signed for it to 8. She glanced up as Michel wafted dreamily into the dining room his focus on the screen of his cellphone. She held her own out. "Does that look like Shannon to you?" Michel was motionless. "Hello? Earth to Michel." Lorelai waggled her phone at him. "Are you OK?" Michel peeled his eyes away from his phone and Lorelai realised he was fighting tears. "Michel?"

"We are approved for Neveah," Michel burbled, his eyes going back to his cellphone.

"What's Neveah?" Lorelai frowned in confusion. "Some new bran…"

"She is to be my daughter, the agency, they have said yes," Michel cut her off. "It has been going back and forth but now, she is to be ours. It is approved that she will come for visits in two weeks. And then if she likes us, she will live with us full time in a few months." His attention suddenly shifted. "Oh, I must have her bedroom decorated. She likes pink but there are so many shades of pink how will I know the right one."

Lorelai stood up and crossed to him. "Michel."

"You have girls which shade of pink is correct when you are five?"

"There is no wrong shade of pink when you are five." Lorelai inched closer and raised her arms. "Congrat…"

"What are you doing?" Michel shifted away from her.

"I was trying to give you a hug to say congratulations."

"Oh," Michel fiddled with his tie. "Not necessary." He gestured vaguely at his perfect grey suit. "You will rumple," He looked down at his cellphone. "This is my Neveah." He held it out revealing a photograph of a tiny mixed-race little girl smiling nervously at the camera. She was clinging with intensity onto a perfect snow white toy bear that was nearly as big as she was.

Lorelai took the phone and studied the image. She was gorgeous, but painfully thin which made Lorelai want to go get her and give her a good meal. Her serious hazel eyes were a heartbreaking mix of emotions that mirrored the intensity that she clung to the toy. A gift Lorelai supposed that was from Michel and Frederick. Her hair plumed around her like a fuzzy halo. She was a gorgeous bundle of cute. Lorelai loved her instantly. She could only imagine how Michel was actually feeling. "She looks like you," Lorelai glanced up at Michel. "You sure she's not actually yours?"

"Lorelai" Michel snatched back his phone fighting a grin. "She is not mine…well she shall be. Her parents were…they were not good but they signed her over to the state and now Frederick and I shall give her everything she has never had." He gasped. "How will I know the right princess to get her?"

"Michel," Lorelai held out a comforting hand. "She is five years old, who has probably had next to nothing. She will not care about the right anything, apart from the right you. Everything can be done with her as a bonding exercise. Let her pick her favourite pink and princess if that is what she wants but I'm pretty sure that little sweetie will be happy with hugs."

"Got it," Arielle called triumphantly marching in with a box. "It got delivered into the kitchen. Salvatore signed for it, thinking it was the new china…Is everything OK?"

"Everything is great," Lorelai smiled at the young woman. "Thanks for finding it." She walked over and collected the box from her. "Michel got some good news."

"Adoption?" Arielle whispered.

"Yep," Lorelai nodded excitedly, "And as with all new parents he's completely lost his head."

"I have not," Michel whined looking up from his cellphone for the briefest of moments. Before returning to stare at the screen, completely unable to look away.

* * *

 **xXx**

Emily frowned, across the room Grace had scampered away from Michel to hide behind Lorelai's legs. After a moment of brief concern while Lorelai scooped up the child and clearly told Michel off she settled back into her chair and quietly congratulated herself for picking out her granddaughter from across the chaotic room. Sam's birthday party was filled with noise and rambunctious boys, none of whom Sam seemed to be interested in. The birthday boy was sat at the craft table in the corner; Quietly colouring with a small group of girls. Lorelai hefted the five year old onto her hip and walked across the room whispering something. Their conversation ended in an impish grin from the pair of them and Lorelai set Grace on the ground. Grace scampered away and when Lorelai turned Emily purposefully caught her eye.

Lorelai hesitated for a moment and then with a slight roll forward of her shoulders she trotted over. "Michel's adopting," she explained without being asked. "He's trying out his talking to children, Grace wasn't impressed."

"Michel is adopting?"

"I know, it doesn't sound right does it. He is going to flip over the mess of kids but it's what they want so I'm happy for him," Lorelai stared at the seat beside Emily looked back at the room and then slumped into it.

"You don't have to entertain me Lorelai."

"Well there's no Miss Patty or Babette so I figured someone had to," Lorelai wriggled in her seat.

Emily swallowed. "This was what the mood was abou? Are you going to warn me off them? Do they belong to you?"

"No," Lorelai muttered childishly. "It's just…I should warn you off Taylor though. What was the deal with that?"

Emily blinked in confusion, trying to remember what 'that' which Lorelai had spat with such disgust might be. "I offered to assist with the flower arranging committee. Mrs Cassini does it but apparently she's colour blind and the lady who used to sort the colours has moved away."

"Taylor was kissing you because you agreed to do flower arranging?" Lorelai stared at her incredulously.

"Kissed me." Emily stared at her blankly. "I hardly think a peck on the cheek counts as kissing."

"That is the most action Taylor will have had for years."

"Oh Lorelai," Emily rolled her eyes. "Taylor Doose is not my type. For starters you know my opinion on facial hair. I only suffered it with your father because…I…" She stumbled. This was the first time really that Richard had come up casually in conversation and the realisation completely made her loose track. Lorelai seemed to understand and rested a hand on hers. "Sorry."

"It's OK. I get it. I'm just very glad I'm not getting Taylor Doose as my new daddy!"

"Lorelai really!" Emily scoffed and then scowled as she felt her cheeks turning pink. "I'm still settling in, and you will never have a new daddy."

"I know I'm just being…me," Lorelai shrugged.

"I think I understand now though," Emily ventured softly. She had never really understood the allure of this small weird little town. She'd only moved here to be near the children but now she was here she found herself falling for its charm. "Why you liked here over…the old house."

"They certainly do better fairy lights."

"Lorelai please I'm trying to be sincere," Emily chastised her. With a sigh she continued. "I always thought you moved here to spite me."

"I would have moved to California to spite you. I just didn't have the bus fare," Lorelai shrugged and then gave Emily a knowing smile. "This place sucks you in, it's like quicksand except with really great coffee and if you want it, lots of interfering but well-meaning neighbours."

Emily nodded slowly. "Yes, it's nice though…"

"No daggers," Lorelai interrupted with a snort, "or hammers."

"Quite," Emily nodded again. She paused as Grace gave an annoyed screech and raced towards them. Instinctively she held out her hands and her granddaughter crawled into her lap.

"Mommy, make him leave me alone. He keeps asking me about pink. It's just pink," Grace pouted in Lorelai's direction. The child turned her head to glare at Michel in anger.

"Oh Shortcake he's only trying to be nice, he's excited because he's getting a little girl," Lorelai soothed, smoothing her hands over Grace's pigtails.

Lorelai's soft hands brushed across the back of Emily's hand and Emily smiled as she made a harrumphing sound and folded her arms with a glowering look at Lorelai earned by her perceived treachery. Everything about this moment reminded her of when Lorelai was young and still liked her. "I tell you what Gracie. Why don't you come with me while I check on Athena, she needs a little fresh air and then when we can come back I think it shall be time for birthday cake?"

"OK," Grace slithered off her lap and then looked up at Lorelai. "Make him stop when I come back Mommy."

Emily slowly got to her feet while Lorelai and Grace made up. Her granddaughter disappeared behind the curtain of Lorelai's long loose dark hair, a kiss or other similar gesture of affection given in almost secret. Grace emerged with a beaming smile.

"Have a good time with the puppy," Lorelai waved at Grace.

"And Grandma," Grace grabbed for Emily's hand.

"And Grandma," Lorelai echoed, she gave Emily a warm smile. "Don't be too long, the sugar crashes are due in about 20 minutes we will be applying cake soon."

Emily nodded in understanding and let Grace tug her out of the dance studio. At the bottom of the steps, Grace's grip tightened and she looked up with a dazzling smile. "I like you got a puppy dog." Grace told her softly. "Puppy dogs are fun and Berta bakes."

"Berta baked some sugar cookies today," Emily told her as they crossed the road. Grace gave a delighted bounce. "I think we should have one before we come back." Grace hopped excitedly beside her, her little hand squeezing Emily's tightly, Grace's thumb rubbing the back of her hand. "Just a little girl time."

"With Auntie Thena," Grace gave a little chortle.

Emily resisted rolling her eyes as the two of them walked towards her home.


	42. She is beauty, she is grace

**AN - Thank you for reading guys. Yes, nearly done, the story will be 46 chapters long, so five more chapters including this one, and then that will be it (though I said that before and we got this one so who knows but right now no further plans beyond these 5 chapters). I'm so pleased you liked the introduction of Athena, I always loved that little storyline we got with Richard, Emily and Princess (because she helped bring them back together), it's company for Emily, something for the kids to adore and something for Lorelai to tease Emily over with the hey little sis ;) As for Emily and Taylor, oh no no. I actually wrote the scene Lorelai got in a flap over and it was so wrong even writing it so it got cut for Lorelai flapping which is more fun anyway but it;s the most horrifying image is it not :P Anyways bit of a serious note in this one but also hopefully some good moments too (IMHO) plus extra twins as theyve got a little usurped by Sam and Grace of late I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading. Let me know what you think, x**

* * *

 **Chapter 42 – She is beauty she is grace**

"Hey."

April looked up from her tablet at the soft voice beside her. She quickly checked around her to see if the greeting was intended for someone else. Seeing she was alone, she offered a tentative, "Hi," in return to the short red-haired woman who was stood beside her. She looked vaguely familiar but April couldn't place her.

"You're April right?"

"Yeah." April blinked rapidly as she tried figure out where she recognised the woman from. She was most likely someone who had been in the doctoral lectures. Or maybe one of the societies?

"I'm Charlotte." The redhead told her softly.

"Hi Charlotte, um… can I help you with something?" April asked setting her tablet on the table.

Charlotte looked over her shoulder nervously. "I was wondering, if maybe you might want to go for a coffee…with me…together…at some point."

April sat up straight and felt her brain go through that dumb reboot thing that she was pretty sure with her ending up looking like a goldfish; blinking and opening and closing her mouth in surprise.

"If you don't want to…I totally get it…I just thought like that maybe with um…" Charlotte babbled, she gestured towards April's book bag and the tiny fabric rainbow key fob attached, a free gift from the LGBTQ society.

"Oh…no I am…well sort of…" April looked down at her hands. "I'm Ace."

"Oh…oh…I…um…um…"

"But I like girls," April blurted a lot louder then she meant to, wincing as several people in the study area looked up at her.

"Great…I mean…" Charlotte gave a nervous sigh looked down at her feet and then straightened her shoulders, performing a reset on their awkward but earnest encounter. "So would you…er…like to go for a coffee…or another hot drink if you don't like coffee…it doesn't have to be coffee…but would you…?"

"If I didn't like coffee my parents would kill me," April smirked. "Coffee would be great. I've got time now if you want."

Charlotte gave her a beaming smile. "Now would be great."

"Great," April stood and started collecting her belongings. Coffee really would be great. She grabbed her bag and stood up straight. While the intention of Charlotte clearly seemed to be something more, if it ended up that she got a friend from outside her PhD cohort or LGBT society it would be great. Friends were always hard for her to come by and every single one of them was precious too her.

"Why would your parents kill you for not liking coffee?" Charlotte asked while April shoved her belongings into her bag.

"My Dad runs a diner and Lorelai's blood is about 25% coffee." April chucked. "Have you been to the kiosk near the Management School? They do a wonderful Arabica."

"Oh Wow," Charlotte grinned at her as they moved towards the door. "You know types."

"It's stuck in there," April knocked her hand against her temple. "It's one of those things I do not need to know but I'll never be able to forget."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory stared at the email before her for what felt like the nine millionth time. The grammar and syntax were perfect. The attachment was attached, holding her tens of thousands of words and hours and hours of work that was really the culmination of everything. But, she couldn't hit send. That button just seemed out of bounds. With a frustrated exhalation she stood up from the table and walked three paces away, swivelled and turned to look at the bright screen. Behind her someone cleared their throat reminding her that she was in the staffroom at Chilton and not her own apartment. Taking a steeling breath she walked forward and hit send. Sending her manuscript off to meet its fate.

* * *

 **xXx**

Kitty looked around at the sound of her sister yelping in distress. From across the playground she could see Willow and her little band of girlie-girl friends running away from a boy. The boy was clutching something in his hand and after Willow and her friends had run away he moved onto the next group of children by the jungle gym. He shoved his hand forward, positioning the thing beneath the girl hanging from the monkey bars. There was a flash.

"OH my God!" Kitty abandoned her game of soccer. She darted across the playground to Willow. Her sister was in tears being comforted by her friends. "Did he take a picture up your skirt?" Kitty asked indignantly. Willow nodded tearfully. Kitty regarded her sister a moment and then spun on her heels. The boy seemed to be choosing his next victim. Clenching her fists, she marched towards him "HEY! STOP THAT!" she bellowed. Around her the playground seemed to go silent.

The boy looked at her in alarm. He shoved the cellphone in his pocket and folded his arms. "Stop what?"

"You're taking pictures up girl's skirts. That's really bad!" Kitty barrelled towards him. He took a nervous step back. "You better delete those pictures right now," she made to grab at the pocket he had stowed the cellphone in.

The boy squirmed away from her. "Or what?"

"I'll…I'll…I'll hit you." Kitty told him taking another step towards him. The children in the playground were circling around them, seeming to sense what was going on before she even knew. Their primal pack animal instincts sensing blood. The boy smirked and reached for his phone but instead of deleting the photos, he held it up and snapped a picture of her. Kitty took a step forward and swung. The crack of the boy's nose was more satisfying than the cracking of the screen as the device hit the ground.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Why are you even looking at holiday brochures?" Luke asked setting the sandwich in front of the customer sat at the counter; or at least the space that wasn't being taken up by the small pile of brochures that Lorelai had appeared with.

"Because Mom is selling the lakehouse so we won't be going. Which means for the first time in nine years we can have a just us family holiday." Lorelai flipped through a brochure gave a purr in delight and then sighed sadly. "Too expensive." She flipped some more. "What about?"

"A cabin in the woods?" Luke stared at the brochure in surprise.

"A luxury cabin in the woods," Lorelai studied the details more closely. "You can do you ranger weird stuff. Teach the kids the ways of the wood. I get a proper bed and bathroom with oooooooohhhhh! Jacuzzi hot tub and rainfall shower."

"You could just stand in the rain," Luke backed towards the ringing phone.

"That would be cold. This has full climate control and…" Lorelai trailed off. "Ok get the phone we can continue later," she flipped further through the brochure and purred in delight again.

"Luke's," Luke barked down the phone. "I'm sorry? No Mrs Danes is with me."

"Right here baby," Lorelai looked up from the brochure. "What is it?"

"She did what!" Luke hissed down the phone.

"Who did what?" Lorelai asked closing the brochure and looking at him uneasily. "Is that the school? What's happened? Is everyone OK?"

Luke waved his hand. "Yeah we'll come get her." He slammed the phone back in the cradle. "That was the school, Kitty punched a kid. They want us to come get her."

Lorelai blinked at him in confusion. "Kitty punched someone? Why?"

"I don't know why, but she did and we have to get her," Luke threw his order pad down on the counter. "CESER!"

"Yeah boss?" Ceser appeared at the pass.

"We got to go to the school. I'll be as quick as I can. If anyone causes you trouble just tell them to wait, it won't kill them," Luke reeled off.

"And look after my brochures," Lorelai gestured at her brochures before beckoning at Luke. "Kitty Kat hit someone?"

"That's all they said," Luke strode out the diner his shoulders tensed. They paced along the pavement towards the school, Lorelai taking three steps to each of his it seemed. When they reached the school for once, there was someone ready and waiting to let them in, and they were ushered into the office. Kitty was sat on the bench outside the Principal's office, glowering at the staff members, her arms folded firmly across her chest. Luke started towards her but Kitty leapt out of her seat. She dashed across the office skidding to a halt. Before Luke had any chance to say anything. Kitty launched into an explanation with such rapidity she rivalled Lorelai, but with enough volume that she stopped the entire office working.

"He had a cellphone and he was taking pictures up girl's skirts. He took a picture up her skirt. I told him to stop and to delete the pictures and he wouldn't and I told him I would hit him and he still wouldn't and so I hit him. And now even though he was the one who was doing the bad thing. Because he's bleeding I'm the one in trouble."

She finished her speech and folded her arms angrily across her chest.

"Who did he do this to?" Luke whispered.

"Oh Bubba you're hand," Lorelai's eyes flared at the sight of the bruising on Kitty's hand.

Kitty held her faintly bruised hand out and gave a disinterested shrug, "only hurts a little. And I had to do it Mommy. He took a picture of Willow's underwear!"

"This little creep did what to Willow?" Luke asked louder this time.

"Took a picture up her skirt of her underwear," Kitty scowled. "He's in there," she pointed at the Principal's office. "Being all injury party and I'm the one in trouble."

Luke turned to the secretary who was desperately trying not to look interested. "Get someone out here right now."

"This is outrageous and where is Willow?" Lorelai joined in. "I want to check my daughter is alright."

"Mr and Mrs Danes," The Vice-Principal stepped out of her office. "Principal Matthews is busy at the moment why don't you come in."

"Where is Willow?" Lorelai repeated.

"Willow and the other girls who are affected were with Miss Peyton. They all returned to class." The Vice-Principal told them holding the door open "We did not want to upset them further by making it more of an issue."

"But it is an issue. I want to see my daughter. I want to check she is alright," Lorelai hissed angrily. "Where were the teachers when this was going on?"

"Mr and Mrs Danes please take a seat," the Vice Principal smiled weakly.

Luke gave a heavy sigh and sank into one of the wooden chairs. He hesitated for a moment. There was only two seats this side of the desk. Kitty could sit on his lap or Lorelai's but he wasn't sure what was better. He was all for slamming into the Principal's office and dragging this kid out by his ears and having Kitty on his lap would stop that. Whilst Kitty sitting on Lorelai would stop Lorelai from tearing the poor Vice Principal a new one. The Vice Principal resolved the issue by turning and bringing another chair. This one a collapsible metal chair. Kitty plopped down and resumed her folded arm glowering.

The Vice Principal sat down behind and squared her shoulders. Her hands fluttered over some paperwork, using the moment to steel her nerves and prepare for battle. "Mr and Mrs Danes, what happened with Willow should never have happened. As you know we ask that children do not bring cellphones to school and that if they do they are kept in their locker and only use them before and after school for contact purposes only."

"I don't need you quoting the rule book at me I want to know…"

"Lorelai," Luke whispered tiredly. The tone of his voice matched the expression on the Vice Principal's face. "It's not her fault."

"No, it's that little Roman Polanski's fault!" Lorelai scowled at him. "Why is Kitty in trouble?"

"Kitty is in trouble because she used violence. We have a zero tolerance policy on violence and she struck…"

"I told him I would if he didn't stop and he took a picture of me," Kitty interrupted standing up from her seat. "It's not…"

"Kitty," the teacher held out her hands, indicating slowly for Kitty to sit down. When Kitty was seated once more she continued. "Two wrongs don't make a right. I know what he did was very bad but you punching him…"

"Taught him not to do it again!" Kitty scowled. She bounced in her seat. "I'm not sorry I hit him. He deserved it. I don't hit people for no reason Mrs Feelin. Mommy and Daddy don't let us hit. We get in trouble if we do. But I told him to delete the pictures. You don't take pictures up girls skirts!"

"No you don't," the Vice Principal agreed leaning forward and holding Kitty's gaze. "But you don't hit people on the nose either. You know it's wrong to hit people."

"Yeah," Kitty rolled her eyes. "But…but…if everyone's all aww poor boy. He's not going to learn. I'm not having him hurt Willow just…"

"Kitty," The Vice Principal held her gaze. "Defending your sister is admirable but it…"

"Doesn't make it right…I know," Kitty sank back in her seat. "He's going to get in trouble too right?"

"Yes he will. But you understand we have to treat you the same as the other children who break the rules, so I'm sorry but I'm going to have to suspend…

"Suspend her!" Lorelai and Luke erupted at the same time.

"For the rest of today. As is school policy. Kitty can return to class tomorrow. And Kitty will have lunchtime detention for the rest of the week and all next week." The Vice Principal's held Kitty's gaze "Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Kitty sat forward her bright blue eyes narrowing. "What's he getting?"

"That's for Principal Matthews to decide."

"He better get more because he was more wrong," Kitty huffed and then sank back in her chair. "Can I go now?"

"Yes Kitty you may go. Mr and Mrs Danes is there anything…"

"I have plenty I want to say but now isn't the time" Lorelai nodded towards Kitty.

"Thank you Miss Feelin," Luke muttered He stood up and waved his hand at Kitty to start moving. "She's right though," he added after Lorelai lead Kitty from the room. "He better get more then her. I know hitting don't make it right but I'm with her on this one."

"Mr Danes," The teacher gave him a weak smile. "So am I, but rules." She gave a shrug. "It's a large book." She gave him a pointed look.

"Hope the Principal throws it at him."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Kitty slow down!" Lorelai called racing after Kitty as the three of them headed away from the school and back towards the diner. Kitty for some reason was racing ahead of them. She gasped in horror as Kitty took the turn in the road down Emily's street. "No, No, No!" Lorelai started to run after her errant daughter, arriving at the house too late to prevent catastrophe.

"Suspended!" Emily shrieked before checking for anyone listening to the horrifying news.

Lorelai winced as she felt the power of her mother's death glare, not tempered in the slightest by the distance of the path. She looked at Luke for help as he arrived alongside her.

"Yup!" Kitty shrugged gleefully, crouching down to stroke Athena when the little dog came to say hello. "I hit a boy on the nose because he was upskirting Willow."

"He was what?"

"He took a photograph up Willow's skirt with a cellphone. So I hit him," Kitty shrugged nonchalantly

"And you were suspended?" Emily looked aghast.

Sensing this was her moment Lorelai made her tentative approach. "Kitty was sent home today because the school has a zero tolerance policy for violence." She shook her head. "Bubba, come on I'm sure Grandma is very busy."

"What are you going to do with her? Don't you have work?" Emily looked her up and down.

"Nothing I can't do at home," Lorelai sighed she glanced back at Luke who was hanging nervously at the end of the path. "Come on Bubba, Daddy needs to get back to the diner and we should get home."

"Can't I stay with Athena?" Kitty looked up at her hopefully.

"No Kitty Kat. Playing with Athena is a nice thing and technically you are supposed to be punished." Lorelai smiled sadly at her. "When I got suspended from school Mom made me sit at the dining room table all evening and took away my TV."

"Grandma! You took away Mommy's TV! That's like taking away her air…or her coffee," Kitty stood up and regarded Emily cautiously.

"It was a suitable punishment considering your mother's suspension was nothing as noble as defending a sibling from se…"

"SO…" Lorelai interrupted. "Sorry to bother you Mom and little Sis," she nodded at the dog. "But I better get this one back home and in the leg irons." She tugged Kitty back away from the door. "We'll see you tomorrow Mom."

"Yes Lorelai, see you tomorrow, and please let me know that Willow is alright," Emily took a step back to close the door.

"Will do. Come on troublemaker." Lorelai tugged Kitty by her coat towards the path. She trotted past Luke, "she gets the running from you. You and your stupid dorky track."

"Daddy ran track?" Kitty bounced eagerly. She grinned up at Luke "We're you good?"

"We won," Luke shrugged. "I better get back to the diner."

"Chicken" Lorelai gave him a wry smile and then held her chin out for a kiss. Luke obliged with a soft sheepish peck on her lips.

Once he had left for the diner Lorelai took Kitty's hand tightly and pulled her in the direction of home. "And you had to tell Grandma because…?"

"I wanted to see Athena," Kitty shrugged, she made a skip and then sighed. "So am I going to get punished?"

"Yes, you can help Mommy fold laundry, movie accompaniment to be decided," Lorelai jiggled Kitty's hand. "What are you feeling?"

"I can watch a movie?" Kitty grinned. She fixed Lorelai with a serious gaze. "Don't ever take my TV away."

"My little Warrior Princess," Lorelai raised her hand so she could kiss Kitty's. "I would never be that cruel!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai stepped into the twins' bedroom to begin the nightly battle for bedtime. Sam and Grace had gone to bed quite happily tonight, but the twins were another story. Kitty was on her bed stretching her legs up and down, pointing her toes and then rocking up onto her shoulders. Willow was stood in her wardrobe. Beside her a small pile of dresses and skirts were upended on the floor. Lorelai knew what Willow was doing and it made her want to sob. Lorelai swallowed her desire to cry out. "Honey bunch, you know Mommy hates doing laundry," she forced herself to smile.

Willow turned to look at her. "I don't want to wear these anymore Mommy."

"But these are your favourite," Lorelai crouched down and selected a denim pinafore dress covered in embroidery from the floor. "And you look adorable cute in this," she lifted a patterned skirt that she had made for Willow last summer. "You should always hold onto the adorable cute. If Mommy has learnt anything from her clothes its keep hold of what works."

"I don't want them Mommy," Willow shook her head defiantly, dumping another skirt on the pile.

Kitty collapsed in a heap on her bed. "I shoulda whomped him harder!"

"Yes Bubba you should have," Lorelai nodded. "Come here Honey bunch." She pulled Willow into her arms. With a bit of wrangling she knelt down and rested Willow on her knee. "You are an amazing, awesome, beautiful, strong and fierce little woman who has her own particular sense of style. Never change yourself because of someone else. You love to wear these clothes and you definitely should not stop wearing them because of some gross little creep."

Willow gave her an uncertain look, "but what if he tries to do it again." She shook her head fiercely, her curls flying from the elaborate plaits. "I don't want boys doing that."

"I know baby." Lorelai smoothed her hair. "Sometimes people do things we don't want. And I know that right now you want to keep yourself safe by never wearing skirts. I get the need to protect yourself, but you shouldn't change you because of him. I know that Kitty got in to trouble and you know that me and Daddy don't like you fighting, but if anyone does that or tries to do that again or to hurt you. You fight. You kick, you scream, you bite, you pull hair. Gouge his eyes out."

"Ew!" Willow grimaced.

"I know Ew, but I give you permission. I mean try and ask him to stop first, because any boy who is worth anything will stop." She kissed Willow's soft cheek. "Ok?"

"OK Mommy," Willow nestled in closely to her, too big for the position but so innocent and small her own size seemed wrong. Lorelai cradled her as best she could. "I don't want to wear a skirt tomorrow."

"He won't be there," Kitty pointed out. "He got suspended at least." She somersaulted over the end of the bed joining them on the rug. "I hope he got expelled!"

"Me too," Lorelai nodded in agreement, "but if you don't want to wear a skirt tomorrow that is OK. It's still kinda chilly so you know what? Lets do a fashion show right now to find the pants that work the best. You are going to crush it with your styling look tomorrow. Kay?" she gave Willow a beaming smile, rubbing her arm comfortingly.

Willow looked up at her half empty wardrobe and nodded slowly, a tiny smile forming on her lips. "Ok Mommy. Can we do make up?"

"You bet!" Lorelai rubbed her nose against Willow. "The full works!" Willow scrambled out of her arms. "We'll do Make up in Mommy and Daddy's room but we need an outfit first." Lorelai hauled herself to her feet and turned to see Luke resting his shoulder on the doorjamb. "We're doing a fashion show," Luke gave her a puzzled look and she took a step forward so she could whisper, "Willow's confidence is wobbly," she rested her hand on his forearm anticipating the tense of his shoulders.

Behind her Kitty vaulted over Willows bed. "Don't worry Daddy, Mommy said we can eye gouge. Do you know how to do that? Can you teach me?"

Luke looked at Lorelai slowly, his eyebrow raising in mild surprise before he turned to look back at Kitty and finally gave a little nod. "Keys between your fingers. Punch."

Kitty's eyes shone in delight. "Like Wolverine!"

"Yeah like Wolverine."

"Well those dumb comic book movies had to be good for something besides giving us Hugh Jackman to ogle," Lorelai gave a cheeky shrug. "He has your lumberjack aesthetic, what can I say, it's my thing," she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Girly stuff will be taking place in the bedroom for a bit."

Luke gave a soft shrug. "Whatever makes her feel good. That's all that matters."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hey come in," Rory grinned as she stood back to let April into the apartment. "Thanks for doing this. We tried a skype consultation last night with Spencer but Gigi and I are not scientists in the least. Even following his instructions we're a disaster."

"No problem. I loved doing these kinds of projects at school." April strode into the apartment at set her bag of tools on the table.

"Really?" Gigi lifted her head to peer over the arm of the couch at her. "It's really dumb and boring."

"I'll take that. Science at your age is the boring stuff but when you get to experimenting it's so much more fun and what I get to do now is awesome." April gushed excitedly. "I mean there is a project right now…"

"I'll take your word for it," Gigi rolled off the couch.

"Sorry about that," Rory whispered to April. "We're having regular visits from the hormone fairy right now."

"Poor you," April whispered back.

"Gigi why don't you go put the kettle on while we get set up," Rory suggested. She sighed heavily as Gigi rolled her eyes and shuffled into the kitchen. Keeping her voice low. "I miss my sweet baby, where did she go?"

"We all go through it." April shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be ok in a few years. I mean we turned out OK so chances are she will to." She turned to look at the posterboard. "Have you had any more info from Lorelai about today?"

"No. Did Luke say anything?" Rory shook her head.

"Just that he wished he could have flattened that kid to the wall." April sighed sadly. "I fancy finding this little creep and doing that myself."

"You hold him down I'll jump on him, finish what Kitty started." Rory smiled weakly. "Cellphones," she rolled her eyes. "As much as I like them from a communication, easy access to knowledge side of things the whole dark side of them…ugh," she shuddered dramatically. "It was way easier when we were kids."

"Yeah," April glanced down as her own cellphone beeped.

Rory noted the little smile that played on April's lips. "Something good?"

"Yeah." April blushed. "I…Um…her names Charlotte. We've had coffee a few times and had one of _those_ conversations."

" _Those_ conversations are the best kind of conversations." Rory grinned, she winced at the annoyed clanging emanating from the kitchen. "Is she staff or student? Or not Yale at all?"

"She's a post grad but in the School of Architecture, she saw me at a seminar," April gave a little embarrassed giggle. "I...I…she's great."

"Who's great?" Gigi asked stomping back into the living room.

Rory looked sideways at April, raising her eyebrow, silently asking if it was Ok to share. April gave a tiny nod. Rory grinned. "April has met someone."

Gigi's eyes lit up. "Really!?" She settled into the chair furthest from the table. "Spill! I want all the details!"

"What about the project?" Rory asked casually, knowing that she had now lost the hormonal teen to gossip.

Gigi shrugged dismissively. "We can do it while we talk."

Rory rolled her eyes before giving April a pointed look. We can do it while we talk clearly meant April can do it while we talk. "At least she'll pass," Rory muttered pulling the seat out beside April. "Gimme the posterboard."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai walked quickly from the school towards the diner. This morning had been bruising, even with the fashion show fun last night Willow had refused point blank to put any of her skirts back in the closet, they still resided in a pile on the floor. And while she had chosen to wear thick wool tights beneath knee length shorts she didn't have a whole lot of outfits which were pant based. Willow had always been a skirt girl.

Lorelai was conscious that the ever-observant Grace had been taking in every single piece of conversation about where the skirts were going to live. Lorelai knew that was being saved up for questioning later. Everything about keeping her kids kids seemed to becoming so much harder these days. Even the protective snow globe of Stars Hollow couldn't keep them from everything. At least Kitty had been welcomed back to school like some conquering hero.

As Lorelai rounded the corner into the square she stumbled, climbing out of the car ten steps ahead of her was a man and a young boy. The boy with a bandaged nose and two black eyes. This was clearly the little creep. She did a little half step to the side and then found herself rushing up the path of Kim's Antiques. The way she was feeling right now she would tear them both apart. The door closed behind her the bell announcing her presence.

It was answered with the familiar "we're open, we are coming". Even after decades of knowing Mrs Kim that always sounded like a threat. Lorelai took a step backwards so she wasn't visible through the door and bumped into a table. A vase on the top swung wildly. She spun and caught it just as Mrs Kim rounded a pile of credenzas.

"I know. I break I buy." Lorelai settled the vase back on the table.

Mrs Kim flicked her eyes up and down her. "You want something?"

"Um…No." Lorelai flicked her eyes towards the street, the idiot boy and his father were still there. "Well, a moments sanctuary. I'm hiding."

Mrs Kim scowled. "From your mother?"

"No. Just a kid and his father who I want to murder. So here, so no murdering," she smiled weakly.

Clearly the thought of murder intrigued Mrs Kim, as the small woman scurried to the door. "Did you break the child's nose?"

"Kitty did. He upskirted Willow." Lorelai explained. Mrs Kim head rotated to look at her so slowly it looked painful. "It's when they take…"

"I know what upskirting is." Mrs Kim straightened up and gave Lorelai an appraising look. "You have taught your daughter well."

"Thanks."

"You may stay until the swines have removed themselves from the vicinity." Mrs Kim gave a sharp nod. "Don't touch anything. I shall go pray for him. Ensure he reaches the correct level of hell quickly so as not to bother us for too long."

Despite her thoughts of murder, the mental image made her mouth drop open. "Wow. That's…generous…"

"You're welcome," Mrs Kim gave another nod. "Don't touch or break anything!"

"Yes Ma'am," Lorelai glanced down at the vase. Mrs Kim spun on her heels and vanished into the furniture canyons. "Wow!" Lorelai shook her head in amazement. "The correct level of hell," she gave a little chuckle to herself, feeling a little bit better for the interaction. "A level of savageness I can only dream of."


	43. We are just Stars with People Names

**AN - Thank you guys. I'm so glad you guys like this story so much, it makes it so worth it to read your comments, I'm sorry I have nothing else planned but who knows the muse might strike, but still a few more chapters to go. I'm Pleased you liked the chapter, tough topic but I'm so pleased you liked the Mrs Kim bit, I always loved that swines that walk up tall yelling she did at Zack :). So completely un Christmasy chapter but I hope you enjoy it. For those of you that celebrate I hope you have a great Christmas. Have a great time. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think x**

* * *

 **Chapter 43 – We are just Stars with People Names**

Luke looked down as Emily's pretty little dog sat down on the toe of his shoe. From the expression on its face, it looked like it was smiling. He offered a weak smile and waved his hand to make it move but it stayed put. He sighed, it was his monthly venture into Friday Night Dinners and for once they weren't beholden to Emily's strict 7pm start time. It was delayed while Emily wielded catalogues and the twins picked out what they wanted for their upcoming birthday. Lorelai with her own birthday approaching was also taking a keen interest and not to be left out Grace and Sam were planning what they would like when their birthdays came round again, even though Sam's was 10 months away.

A soft rustling sound made him turn and his smile widened slightly as Grace trotted towards him clutching a catalogue to her chest. "You nearly done?"

"No," Grace shook her head. She dropped the catalogue on his lap and then sat down beside him. "Kitty and Willow want lots. So does Mommy."

"Yeah," Luke went to close the catalogue on his lap. Grace slapped his hand and pulled the catalogue away from him. "You found something you want?"

"No, things for you," Grace put the catalogue down and smoothed the pages out carefully.

Luke peered at the open pages. On it was a ridiculously preened and polished model with a full beard dressed like a lumberjack, his leg propped jauntily on a saw log. "I don't need any shirts Grace."

"Not shirt silly," Grace snorted in amusement. "That." She pointed at a bag by the model's feet. "It's got all the things in it you like. It's the best ever bag for Daddy."

Luke studied the bag, a brown leather holdall stuffed full of tools and gadgets the modern day woodsman might need. "They're all separate Grace, but nice idea."

Grace stared at the page her eyes roving over the numbers and description. After a minute, she stated clearly. "It's only six hundred forty three dollars Daddy."

Luke scoffed at the amount not even surprised at Grace doing the math in her head, and if it was wrong the huge amount seemed about right. "Only."

Grace looked at him in surprise. "Is that lots?"

"Yeah, that's lots," Luke nodded. He closed the catalogue, Grace took this as a cue and she crawled onto his lap. "You know how to make the dog go away?" He asked her softly, peering over her shoulder to look at the small dog.

Grace frowned at him. "Why'd you want auntie Thena to go away?"

"She's sat on my foot," Luke pointed out.

"Oh Silly Thena," Grace slid off his lap and crouched beside the dog. Instantly the dog stood up, its fluffy tail wagging in excitement. Grace leaned forward, scooped the dog into her arms and then collapsed in a giggling heap as Athena wagged her tail and exuberantly began licking Grace's face. Luke leaned forward to rescue her only for Grace to roll over onto her stomach and the dog to copy her. Her watched in wonderment as Grace started moving her legs and arms in a slow deliberate fashion and the dog match her every move "See Daddy, Auntie Thena is the best!"

"She's clever, I'll give you that," Luke watched the pretty dog closely. Athena tipped her head and gave a slight nod before rolling over on her back displaying her undercarriage to him. He sat back with a roll of his eyes.

"Daddy if you're hangry Berta will give you cookies or an apple," Grace told him now laying on her own back. She lifted her legs and rested them on his knees.

Luke captured her small foot and pressed it against the length of his hand. "Nah, I'm good."

"Kay Daddy," Grace smiled beauteously up at him. She wriggled her toes against his hand and then dissolved into giggles again as Athena began licking her face once more.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory jumped in surprise as her cellphone went off beside her. She had been deep in paper grading mode and the tinkling tune struck her head like a bell. She half expected do see spinning stars around her temples and it wasn't until someone cleared their throat pointedly did her brain switch from academic analysis to practical.

"Hi," She muttered into the phone. She blinked. She hadn't looked at who was calling and she opened her mouth to add her name.

"Babe it's me."

"Hi," Rory repeated again. Spencer sounded excitable and slightly out of breath. "Are you running?"

"Walking to a meeting across campus and I was on the phone so I'm running late."

"OK, well…"

"Tim called," Spencer interrupted her.

"Tim? Tim from Yale?" Rory held her breath, hope buzzing in her chest. "Why was he calling?"

"The job, the senior research fellow, I'm short listed. They had to advertise it its university policy unless they promote from within."

"So you have to interview?" Rory asked, hoping rising in her chest.

"Yeah, there are two others both external who they don't know. Tim said on paper I'm better and the interview panel will be 3, him and Jiaoyue, and he said they are both pulling for him so I just have to win over the 3rd which will be someone from professional services. He doesn't know who."

"That is so great…When is it?"

"Third week of April."

Rory mentally counted in her head. If Spencer did get the job, by the beginning of May they could be living together as a family once more. "Oh Babe, I've got everything crossed!"

"Me too," Spencer sounded like he was running now. "And if one of the other two get it. Tim said he has a proposal in for funding and he's budgeted in a position at my level. It's not exactly my thing, more teaching and it might not come off. But as another option."

"You don't need another option," Rory told him softly.

"Appreciate the confid…"

At the other end of the phone there was a large thud. "Spencer?" Rory asked nervously. She strained her ears picking up the sound of Spencer swearing on the other end. "Babe?"

"I…I'm…fuck…here," Spencer's voice sounded pained.

"What happened?" Rory asked nervously.

Spencer made a hissing noise. "The door is supposed to be automatic it didn't open."

Rory stifled a giggle. "You ran into it?"

"Yeah, that really hurt," Spencer swore again. "Crap! I'm bleeding."

"From running into the door?"

"From bouncing off it and falling on the ground."

Rory bit her lip as she imagined her husband barrelling, or at least his version of barrelling across campus and then ricocheting off a door. After counting to 5 she pinched herself. "Go get first aid."

If there was a vocal range for eye rolling Spencer was using It and she made a squeaking sound of suppressed laughter as he muttered. "Go have your laugh."

* * *

 **xXx**

"What are you doing in here?"

Willow looked up as Kitty marched into the girl's bathroom. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"You've been in here since you finished lunch. Unless your tummy is gross you're hiding," Kitty folded her arms across her chest.

Willow stared at her sister and then gave a sigh. She couldn't ever lie to Kitty. Their faces were the same and they always knew when the other was not being truthful. "He's back."

"I know. Little creepy Roman Poland… whatever it is Mommy called him." Kitty scoffed and shook her head dramatically.

"I didn't know he was coming back," Willow whispered, she smoothed her hands nervously over the denim skirt she was wearing. Her fingers lingered on the embroidery patches. Kitty made a noise in her throat that sounded like a high pitched Daddy. "Am I being silly?"

"Yes, but no," Kitty stepped across the bathroom to join her by the sink. "You're silly for hiding but not silly for wanting to hide." She unfolded her arms and pulled Willow into a hug.

Willow let Kitty hold her tight, her own hands clinging tightly to the back of Kitty's sweater. When Kitty kissed her softly on the cheek, she reluctantly released her grip. "What if he tries again?"

"We whomp him again," Kitty nodded definitively. "Bam right on the nose! And not just me, all the other boys they said they would. They know its wrong and doing nothing is worse." She bounced her shoulders. "Plus Daddy taught me how to gouge eyes and if anyone ever tries to hurt you, I'll do it."

Willow smiled weakly. "I should be able to take care of myself."

"Yeah, well," Kitty shrugged noncommittally. "We can't all be warrior princesses."

Willow scowled. "I don't want to be a damsel in distress. That sucks. It's reductive."

Kitty looked at her blankly. "Um…ok…maybe instead, we can't be warrior princesses all the time. Sometimes we need to cry and have other people look after us. And that is Ok. Other times we whack-em over the head with a stapler"

Willow stared at Kitty in confusion. Silently she ran through what she could remember of the tv series Mommy had sat them down to watch through her mind. "When did they hit people over the head with staplers. Staplers weren't invented in those times. Plus it's mythological."

Kitty's eyes gleamed in excitement. "Peggy Carter, she bashes people with stationary but is super smart and really brave. She's better than all the boys. Plus she has amazing hair and make up. You're totally Peggy Carter."

Willow grinned and leaned forward returning the kiss that Kitty had given her. "Thank you."

"Course," Kitty shrugged. She took a step towards the door and held out her hand. "Come on,"

Willow regarded her sister for a moment and then took Kitty's hand. To stay would be stupid. To hide from him would be stupid. She might wear pants tomorrow instead of a skirt but she wasn't going to hide. Kitty lead her out of the bathroom and the exited onto the loud playground. Her eyes instantly fell on the creep who had taken her photo. He was sitting alone looking at the floor. All the other kids were avoiding him like the plague. That made her feel good even though she didn't feel great. She let go of Kitty's hand and held her head up high imagining the string that Grandma always told them about coming out the top of her head pulling her up tall. He couldn't hurt her and if he tried she'd destroy him.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Boss lady in the house, what's up?" Lorelai asked as she bounced to a stop in front of the front desk of the spa. Behind it Shannon, the spa manager, was looking glum.

"We have…um…a situation," Shannon said diplomatically. Shannon stood up and smoothed her hands across the hips of her tunic. The woman's dark eyes scanned across the two people in robes sat in the foyer area.

"Meaning what?" Lorelai followed her gaze to the clients.

"We are currently trying to find a net so we can then run a cleaning cycle in the sauna area," Shannon muttered, she clicked through some things on the computer and then beckoned Lorelai to follow her. The two woman walked in silence, Lorelai embracing it as she felt that Shannon was building to the reveal. "This," Shannon gestured towards the plunge pool as they entered the sauna and steam room area.

"What?" Lorelai looked around blankly. Then her eyes fell on it. Long, large, floating lazily on the surface of the water. Lorelai grimaced. "Gross!"

"Yeah," Shannon nodded. "Hence the net."

"Net! One for whales I'm presuming," Lorelai bounced on the spot with her fists clenched. "My children were smaller than that when they came out of me. Holy disgustingness."

Shannon wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Thing is we know who it is because there was only one person who used that area between the two cleaning slots."

"Oh gross," Lorelai pulled her glasses off and pressed her thumb and forefinger into the bridge of her nose. "Is it a member or an inn guest?"

"Guest. The little old guy. He's here for the whole week," Shannon winced apologetically. "We reckon that he must have jumped in and his muscles gave way. I mean how else would that come out?"

"The human body is weird and disgusting. My kids are always surprising me with the amount of bodily fluids they can produce given their size." She shook her head. "Get a bucket and scoop it. Offer the guests who've had to wait a free dessert in the restaurant."

"Ok," Shannon nodded. "Are you going to speak to him?"

"Slash check on him because if he's feeling anything like I did after giving birth he's going to need some TLC."

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai tiptoed into the twins' bedroom; she paused at the foot of their beds and watched them sleep. Just like always, Kitty was starfished across the bed while Willow curled neatly on her side clutching her raggedy toy bunny. They were eleven years old today. The number felt astronomically wrong. She just could not believe she had had these beautiful little girls in her life for eleven years; it barely seemed a year since she had had them and now they were on the cusp of adolescence.

Lorelai walked between their two beds and settled down on the floor, her back resting against the bedside table. Lovingly she placed her hands on each of the girl's airs. Her finger stroked back and forth across their smooth skin until the twins started to stir.

"Mommy?" Willow whispered, her blue eyes blinking rapidly.

"Hey birthday girl," Lorelai cooed. Willow's face erupted into a beaming smile.

"It's our birthday," Willow grinned, she crawled out from under her cover, rolling onto the floor to kneel in front of Lorelai. "Are you gonna tell us our birthday story?"

"Course she is," Kitty grumbled as she woke up slowly. "She always does."

"Why so humbuggy Bubba? It's your birthday." Lorelai leaned in and kissed Kitty on the nose, despite her morning grumpiness the little girl smiled. "You want to hear it?" Lorelai asked softly. Kitty nodded and rolled onto her front. She jabbed her thumb in her mouth and with her free arm started curling Lorelai's loose hair through her fingers. Lorelai cleared her throat. "It seems so strange that only eleven short years ago, Mommy was soo big and huge I couldn't even sit on the floor because I had two beautiful babies in my tummy."

"Me," Kitty mumbled around her thumb

"and me," Willow bounced in excitement at her part.

"Yup," Lorelai nodded eagerly, pleased that they seemed to be getting into the spirit, "and Mommy was soo big. I had to stay lying down all the time, and Mommy was on the couch and Grandma was watching me and complaining that I was rotting your brains with mindless tv, and then Mommy got a bit scared because Kitty seemed sleepy. So Grandma drove Mommy to the hospital and dressed up in a silly gown and hat and really didn't look like Grandma at all. And Grandma told me about the day that I was born because I wanted Daddy but he was all the way in Woodbury without his cellphone at the stupid store. But the town went and got Daddy but before Daddy could get there the doctors gave Mommy a sun roof to get my beautiful babies out of my tummy"

Willow shook her head in sad amusement. "It's a caesarean Mommy not a sun roof and it was because we were poorly."

"You weren't poorly, you were early."

"So we slept in baby greenhouses and Daddy watched over us," Kitty mumbled, inching closer to the edge of the bed. "And when we were better you were happy."

"Because you got to dance with Daddy and us." Willow finished.

"And I was no longer big and huge," Lorelai added, "and now…"  
"We're big and huge," The twins recited in unison.

"And we're breaking our promise about not getting big too fast!" Willow rolled her eyes.

"You are," Lorelai stretched her arms forward inviting Willow into her arms so she could kiss her. "But I will let you off because you can't control time." She smothered Willow's cheeks in kisses "Happy Birthday Honeybunch!"

"The sun controls time Mommy," Kitty's head slid off the mattress to rest on Lorelai's shoulder. The twins kissed each other and then Willow slid out of Lorelai's arms to allow Kitty the space to thud into Lorelai's lap.

"Happy Birthday Bubba," Lorelai whispered to Kitty, ignoring the pain in her leg from where Kitty had landed on her. She kissed Kitty on both her cheeks. "Are you awake enough for presents?"

Kitty and Willow let out an identical amused snort. "Mommy we're always ready for presents," Kitty gave her a kiss back.

* * *

 **xXx**

"Hey,"

Lorelai looked over the back of her mother's ornate couch as April let herself into the house. "Hey."

"Where are the kids?" April asked curiously. She slumped into the space beside Lorelai and sighed in exhaustion.

"Well that sounds like you had a long week. Mom is upstairs spoiling them. She's been decorating their rooms with birthday goodies. I'm letting them have their Grandma time. Means I get a break," Lorelai glanced towards the ceiling. "Why so tired?"

"Just a lot of really intense seminars …um actually if we have a moment can I ask you something?" April looked over her shoulder nervously.

"Of course," Lorelai nodded and reached for her gin martini.

"It's about sex," April blurted.

Lorelai choked on her martini and when the burning in her throat stopped turned to look at April "Excuse me?"

April's face was burning brilliant red. "You know Charlotte?"

"In the sense that you've been talking and texting about her, yes," Lorelai nodded. She set her drink down on the table and looked towards the drinks cart in the corner.

"I like her. I really like her and I want to have a proper normal relationship and that means sex…at some point. Except because I'm broken below the waist I don't know when I'm supposed to…do whatever it is I'm supposed to do." April's shoulders sagged.

"Ok first off you are not broken below the waist," Lorelai told her getting up and crossing to the drinks cart. "Even someone who is…" she gestured at herself, "we only ever suffer temporary technical difficulties."

"I'm on a permanent blue screen of death," April rolled her eyes. "I just want to be normal. Or give the person I'm with…normal. Even if I'm not good at it because…"

"ah ah ah," Lorelai shushed April, she poured a measure of vodka into two whisky tumbler and then walked back to the couch. "Enough with the negativity. There is no such thing as normal with these things. You are made the way you are supposed to be made and there is nothing wrong that. In fact, it's everything right. A relationship is more than sex it is just an add on, it's not the be all and end all and if it is then the relationship isn't great. But if you want to have a sexual relationship with this girl then OK. Just don't force it and I'm pretty sure this is a conversation you should be having with her. Here," She thrust the glass at April.

April took it cautiously. "What is this for?"

"You asked me about sex and the person I have sex with is your Dad, so…vodka," Lorelai raised her eyebrows meaningfully.

"Right," April took a tentative sip.

"Pretty much all our sex begins with a conversation. Right now that takes the form of 'hey I'm not feeling like a desert and/or a swamp. Do you want to be passionate for a couple of minutes before we pass out from exhaustion?' But even before my crypt keeper phase pretty much we always initiate from talking. Your Dad would say something and that was it. I just had to kiss his face off and then one thing leads to another."

April sighed despondently. "But I don't get that one thing leads to another thing."

"Maybe not, but you do talk. I think the best thing is for you to talk to Charlotte. If she likes you, she's not going to want to do anything to hurt you and you need to work out together what works best for you guys."

"Quite right."

Lorelai jumped in surprise as Emily strode into the room. "Mom?"

"This is my house Lorelai, who else would it be? The children want to show you their rooms," Emily moved to the armchair and sat facing them. "Your mother is right April, you must talk to this girl. It's just as Farrah says everyone has a personal preference you need to work out you."

"Ok who is Farrah and what?" Lorelai stared at Emily incredulously.

"Farrah is one of the young ladies we went on the Woman's March with. We had a very frank discussion about sexuality and performance." Emily shifted nervously in her chair.

"Performance?" Lorelai blinked. "Like…Did you…have you…with a woman?"

Emily cringed. "Goodness no!" she glanced at April. "No offence dear, but not for me."

"But? No… wait… I don't want to know the but," Lorelai shook her head dramatically. With a sigh she drained her neat vodka and then gagged.

"If you must know that conversation has led me on a voyage of self-exploration. I was rather limited in my experiences," Emily looked down at her hands and then peeked out of the top of her eyes at April. "Perhaps that is a good place to begin."

Lorelai gagged, on air this time. There was no way the self-exploration her mother was talking about was learning how to knit. She stood up and marched towards the drinks cart. When she lifted the vodka bottle, she toyed with the idea of drinking straight from the bottle, uncivilised perhaps, but necessary for conversations like this. Especially when you learn _that_ about your mother.

"Maybe," April sighed. "I'll have to think about it."

"Think about what?" Willow asked bouncing excitedly into the room.

"Doesn't matter," Lorelai shook her head wildly.

Willow regarded her for a moment taking in the large glass of vodka in her hand. Slowly Willow's nose scrunched and her lips twisted in disgust. "It's something icky."

"In a way," Lorelai took a sip from her glass. "But Mommy is killing brain cells so it's fine."

"Don't kill your brain cells Mommy," Willow frowned, "Or your liver cells." She sighed sadly

"You want to show us something?" Lorelai prompted.

"My room. Grandma put twinkle lights, and I have a new comforter. It's gorgeous, it's pinky purple and silky and it's got embroidery on," Willow beamed. "Can you come see? April and Grandma can talk about the icky thing and you can stop killing the body cells." She reached forward and teased the glass from Lorelai's hand. With a look of complete disdain, she set the glass on the drinks cart. She pulled at Lorelai's hand and then stopped. With an apologetic expression on her face she turned and regarded April. "Is that OK April, or do you need Mommy? If it's important my comforter can wait."

"You can take her," April told her younger sister quietly.

"April and Mommy can continue this at home, when Daddy can be the one who cringes." Lorelai winked at April. "Go on up, Mommy's following," Lorelai let Willow bounce out of the room and then trotted over to April. "Continue with Mom, me and you, tomorrow. Coffee, cake, no me freaking out over Grandma." She kissed April on the forehead. "Try not to get sick to your stomach. I reckon Berta has some fancy dinner coming in honour of the twins' birthday. I heard mention of chocolate cake."

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory glanced at her cellphone as she moved away from her classroom towards the staff room. As usual there was notifications of texts from Lorelai, and a few emails. She quickly scrolled through the texts, which was a blow-by-blow account of the chaos that had been Monday morning with a resurgence of skirt avoidance and Sam getting so mad he burst into tears. Anger flamed in her chest as she read the messages and she tapped back a quick remark about how she would be purchasing a pitchfork for the lynching.

She turned the corner onto the corridor that led to the staffroom and opened her emails. One from Paris, which she saved for later as Paris' emails had a tendency of being long and Rory often found she needed to be seated to read them. There was the usual marketing emails from all the companies you somehow end up being in contact with but nestled between two Amazon emails was an email from Sebastian the literary agent she'd been working with. Her eyes widened as she read the subject heading. 'Potential Offer'.

Her chest seizing with nerves Rory stopped in her track and tapped the screen. The email popped up and she peered at it in hope.

 _Hi Rory_

 _I've had an offer for your manuscript from an editor. I've attached the particulars. It's only a small advance but it's within the usual range for first time authors. Please call me as soon as you can so we can set something up to go through it._

 _Best_

 _Seb_

Rory stared at the screen in wonderment, her bright blue eyes roving over the words over and over.

"Miss?"

Slowly she turned to look at the concerned looking student beside her. "Yes?"

"Are you OK? You…" the teenager floundered, evidently not sure how to tell a teacher she looked weird and unnatural frozen in place staring at a screen.

"I'm great," Rory whispered. "I just had a bit of good news. Thank you though." She let the cellphone go dark and smiled at the student. The student gave a nervous smile and Rory turned and walked away. She felt like she was skipping down the corridor. It was actually happening. She was going to be a published author. She raised her phone illuminating the screen once more to read Sebastian's words. After reading the email for the fourth time, she opened the message app to send a message to the family group.

 _They are going to publish my book!_


	44. This way, that way, forward and back way

**AN - Happy New Year Everyone. I hope everyone had a good Christmas if you celebrate. Sorry for the delay in posting. Christmas and it's run up were crazy. Take note dear friends don't handmake all your Christmas presents while you work full time and study for a degree part time. Something had to give and this was the casualty. Anyway, on with the show for the final few chapters. I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think, x**

* * *

 **Chapter 44 – This way, that way, forward and back way**

"I know Kitty Kat, but 8 o'clock is plenty late on a school night for staying up."

Luke looked back over his shoulder at Lorelai negotiating with Kitty about getting into bed. Some days the girls were pains in the butt about going to bed; it was just like when they were toddlers. Kitty was tired which was why she was being so grouchy and combative. Willow was curled into his side, barely getting the words of the book she was trying to read to him out. "That's enough Wills."

"Have to finish the chapter," Willow moaned sleepily, trying to force her eyes open.

Kitty threw her covers back dramatically and flopped into bed sending a puff of air their direction. "I'll finish it," he teased the book from Willow's soft grip. She snuggled in closer still and he began reading, keeping one ear on what was happening on the other side of the room. Lorelai had finally got Kitty to calm down and they were whispering together. He continued reading, his annoyance rising at how long this chapter was and how Willow was managing to stay awake. Lorelai's phone began buzzing and with Kitty finally fallen asleep she padded out of the room to answer it leaving him with the neverending chapter and a sleep resistant eleven year old. It finally came to an end and as if by magic Willow closed he eyes and seemingly fell asleep immediately.

He disentangled himself from her and placed her bookmark in the book. Once he set the book on the bedside table he straightened the covers on both of the beds and studied his daughters for a few moments. They were getting too big. It scared him, as annoyed as he got with long chapters in stupid books he knew the time when Willow wouldn't want to read to him, or allow him to read to her, was coming to an end. He didn't know how long he would have until they didn't need him in that way. He liked being needed in that way and he didn't want it to end. Seeing them stretched across their beds, tall like both he and Lorelai, still little girls but not for much longer, terrified him.

Reluctantly he left the room. Before he went downstairs he checked on Sam and Grace; both asleep, Sam neat and clutching his one beloved triceratops toy. Grace seemingly buried beneath too many stuffed animals that if he moved would wake her. Slowly he made his way downstairs. It was empty, he glanced towards Lorelai's sewing room. The light was on. She was working on costumes for the latest school play. With a sigh he breathed in the strange, yet welcome silence of his house. He grabbed himself a beer and turned on the tv. It was rare he got the tv, with so many competing demands his desire to watch sports was always at the bottom of the pecking order. He flicked between a baseball and football match, neither really holding his attention and the commentators annoying him with their patter. He muted it and watched the football game in silence for a few minutes.

When he finished his beer the three-inch men on the screen were just entering the last period, he glanced at the clock, it was almost 10. Lorelai was still outside. Seeing as the blue team were thrashing the red team and it seemed almost impossible that they would lose Luke clicked off the tv and set the empty bottle on the coffee table. He stood, stretched and then crossed to the window.

He pressed his lips together mulling what to do. He wanted to go to bed and he much preferred it when Lorelai was with him, but she would be in a mood if he interrupted her creativity and the clock was ticking for getting everything done before the show. But if she worked too long, the quality of her work could slip and then the perfectionist in her would want to start again. He glanced at the clock once more. Requesting her to come in at ten was perfectly reasonable. Especially as she was going to Hartford tomorrow for a business conference so she would get up early to do her hair 'properly' before she had to get the kids up and out to school.

He headed out the front door. It was warm still, the evening spring air humid and holding the warmth of the day. When he reached the screen door of the sewing room he stopped. Lorelai wasn't working, she simply had the pieces of the costume spread out in front of her. Instead she was sat in her chair looking up at the beams of the building. The expression on her face clearly told him she was deep in thought. Tentatively he knocked on the doorframe. She turned to look at him and gave him a weak smile before waving her hand to invite him into the room.

"It's ten."

She looked towards the collection of stupid alarm clocks she kept on the shelf. "Oh, I'll be in in a bit." she looked down at the pieces in front of her and frowned.

"Rory?"

"What?" she looked up distracted.

"The phonecall? Was it Rory?"

"No," Lorelai shook her head, stray hairs falling from her bun on the top of her head. "First April asking if she could bring Charlotte to meet us on Saturday. They are coming up for brunch in the diner before hitting the festival hoopla Taylor has going on in the square and if we hadn't scared Charlotte away maybe here for dinner."

"I'll get cover sorted for the evening," Luke nodded, smiling softly. "Who was second? You said first."

"Jack Cordell," Lorelai sighed in annoyance and began to put the pieces of fabric away. "He's got a new job in Boston. So they will be moving out of the Crapshack."

"You'll get new tenants, you did last time." Luke assured, her picking up the plastic container and holding it so she could lay the pieces in it.

"I know but I got wondering if I wanted tenants in there," Lorelai sighed.

"You want to sell it?" Luke looked at her in surprise. Lorelai looked at him like he had personally insulted her. He knew as much as she loved their forever family home, the Crapshack despite it's faults represented so much to her. To Lorelai it was the shining example of how far she had come from being a teenage mom with nothing living in a potting shed. "Sorry," he mumbled. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Lorelai sat back down and picked at a piece of thread. "I was wondering about Rory and Spencer. If he gets that job they'll need somewhere bigger to live. Especially with Gigi going through the teenage tantrums. The Crapshack has a lot of good doors to slam and the stairs are really good to stomp up or down."

"So offer it to them. Maybe Rory would want to stay there even if Spencer doesn't get the job," Luke set the plastic box down and took a backwards step towards the door hoping it would entice her out.

Lorelai looked up at him forlornly. "What if she doesn't want the house?"

Luke flicked his eyes skywards. "Have you been out here what iffing?" She nodded sadly. "You know that is a bad idea. Come on," Luke held his hand out. She stared at it, the 'but' visible on her lips. "Don't ask her if she wants it. Just drop a few hints that the house will be vacant. If she wants it she'll ask for it. That way you won't be upset if she says no," The 'but' grew bigger. "Lorelai," he said her name softly.

"You're right," she whispered, taking from his utterance of his name whatever it was she took when she was in a moment of indecision. "You're right." She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. She let out a soft groan.

"You OK?"

"I used to be able to sit for six hours and watch 3 movies in a row and be fine. Now I sit still for twenty minutes and I'm a creaking grandma," She scowled.

"You've been out here at least an hour and a half," Luke told her.

"OK, well that's a little better," she winced as she straightened her arm, her elbow giving an audible crack. She hissed in surprise. "Yuck!"

Luke chuckled softly. "Yep!"

"Speaking of yuck, Charlotte doesn't like eggs," or frowned, "or is allergic to eggs."

"Which is it? It's an important difference." Luke looked at her in mild annoyance. "I don't want to send the girl to the hospital."

Lorelai shook her head. "I can't remember. I'll double check." She frowned again. "If someone is allergic to egg, does that mean they can't have things with egg in? Like pancakes and waffles and cake or…"

"Probably," Luke shrugged. Lorelai stared at him horrified. "It depends how severe her reaction is. Hopefully it's she doesn't like eggs, has your thing about eyes ogling you."

"I hope so. No cake that's horrifying!"

* * *

 **xXx**

Lorelai stumbled along the sidewalk towards the parking lot. Annoyingly she had had to park in the lot that was 4 blocks away from the conference centre. 4 Hartford blocks was way further then 4 Stars Hollow blocks and her shoes which had looked oh so pretty this morning had been a mistake. What with walking from the parking lot and now back plus walking round the exhibitors hall with it's copious dazzling displays, she must have walked at least 10 miles, not exactly great when wearing 5 inch high stilettos. She also now resembled a packhorse. Getting into a new sector meant new shows, and new suppliers vying for her business. She was laden down with brochures and samples; enough that she didn't need to by any toiletries for herself for the rest of the year.

Hitching one of the totes that a very kind sales rep had given her at a stand, she trekked on towards the parking lot. She gave a little yelp as her heel caught in something and she staggered towards the building. At the same time as 'something' crunched her shoulder came in contact with the guy walking alongside her. Both of them stumbled, he tried to catch her and in the end they both ended up in a heap on the sidewalk.

A small crowd began to gather and Lorelai counted her blessings that she had decided to wear pants today, else she would have been giving everyone a show. Apologising profusely she started to disentangle herself from the man she had collided with. He took it good-naturedly in a way that if they had been in a Hallmark movie and she the movie heroine they would have definitely hooked up. Once she was on her feet and assured the collection of onlookers that she was fine, she slunk away trying to maintain what was left of her dignity. Her cheeks were burning, partly from embarrassment and partly from the keeping from crying. Her ankle was throbbing and hobbling away from scene of the disaster in her stupid shoes was making it worse. She made it about 20 paces before she gave up and headed into the nearest coffee store. Her bitter friend would help she was sure of it. Especially when combined with a huge slice of chocolate cake.

She paid and then hobbled over to an empty booth struggling not to spill the massive mug. She slumped into the chair and brought her throbbing ankle up to gingerly rest it on her opposing knee. With a wince, she placed her hand around her ankle. It felt hot and kind of spongy. She didn't think it was broken, sprained maybe but not broken. Nothing felt like it was grating at least. When she had broken her leg apart from the agonising pain she had felt like it was grating. So there was that.

She frowned as she felt the feeling of eyes on her. Probably someone who had seen her take the spill. She peeked over her shoulder to find the starer. Lorelai gave a start in surprise. Behind her, sitting one table over was Anna Nardini. Perfectly polished and as far away from the eclectic bohemian style she had always favoured as possible in a chic black outfit. Anna looked equally as shocked. It had been 2 years since Lorelai had seen Anna. 2 years since Anna had picked her boyfriend over her own daughter. And only 4 months since Lorelai had found April sobbing in her bed over the returned Christmas card. Lorelai managed a stammering 'Anna' in greeting.

"Lorelai," Anna returned, the colour draining from her face.

The two women just stared at each other. Finally Lorelai managed to find her tongue "How could you?" Anna blinked at her. "How could you do that to your own daughter?" Lorelai stood up, abandoning her just purchased coffee and cake. "Choose a man over her, miss her graduation, ignore her, return her Christmas card. She was just trying to give you her new address. How could you?"

Anna blinked again, "address," she managed to whisper. She looked puzzled, as if her mind was not quite cutting through the surprise of seeing Lorelai.

"Her new Address in New Haven. She's not going to be in Cambridge is she? Or where you expecting for her to still be frozen as a 21 year old in her final year of college. You've missed 2 years of her life Anna. You've missed 2 of the best years of her life!" Lorelai grasped the tote bags and took a hobbling step towards the door. "How could you pick a Getty over your daughter" she shook her head. "You're disgusting. I hope you choke on it," Lorelai stumbled towards the door of the coffee store, not exactly sure what she meant by it, whether it be his money or something else, less savoury. She staggered into the door, her ankle feeling like it wanted to burst. Knowing there was no way she could walk away she kicked off her shoes, scooped them up and limped wincingly out of the store onto the sidewalk in her stockinged feet.

* * *

 **xXx**

At the sound of screeching brakes Luke looked towards the window of the diner. He frowned, Lorelai had parked the car, in the loosest sense of the word, outside the diner, but was sat still, her arms outstretched clenching the steering wheel of the minivan. Even from the distance he could see her eyes were sparkling just that bit too much. There had been an abrupt radio silence from her, she'd been texting him every few minutes excited about the freebies and contacts she was making at the fair. He hadn't responded to all but the first message when she'd texted to say she'd arrived and at the time he'd taken it as her getting the point that he really didn't care that Jules from some fruity face cream company had underplayed her age. Now he regretted not checking in with her.

Waving his hand at Kirk to get him to shut up about whatever stupid scheme he was doing now, Luke watched Lorelai closely. She wasn't moving. She certainly wasn't talking on the cellphone or her hands free.

"So what do you think?" Kirk asked with triumphant eagerness.

Luke flicked his eyes over Kirk and sighed. "Bring me a sample once you haven't killed or seriously injured yourself and I'll try it and think about it."

"Great!" Kirk leapt up from his table and dashed towards the door. "Lorelai's sat out there."

"I know," Luke glanced at him again. He took a step forward and caught the door before it closed. Slowly he made his way out to the minivan, carefully watching Lorelai for any kind of movement. He lightly tapped on the glass with his thumb so not to scare her and then opened the door. "Lorelai? What are you doing?"

She made a whimpering noise and then pointed down. Luke followed her point. Her ankle was nearly 3 times it's normal size, and a purple colour beneath her flesh coloured stockings. "Ho…Jeez Lorelai!" Luke crouched down beside her. "You drove with this. What the hell did you do? Why didn't you call me?"

"I tripped on my shoe and then Anna was there so I walked," Lorelai burbled as she twisted around in her seat. "Ow!"

"Anna?" Luke looked up at her.

"I…" Lorelai hissed in pain as she lowered her leg out. Immediately she retracted her leg back into the safety of the car with a humming sound of pain.

"Ok later," Luke looked her up and down. He swallowed nervously, he was rubbish with injury and sickness and all that stuff. At least she wasn't bleeding. "Let's go see Dr Michael's see what he says and go from there."

"Kids," Lorelai hissed.

"Yeah," Luke stood up running through his head the impending school run. "Let's get you to the doctor, then we can call Emily to do it. Kay?"

"Kay," Lorelai nodded. Her face twisted in pain. "Did I mention ow!"

"Yeah," Luke held out his hand to help her out the car. "Put all your weight on me."

He helped her to limp across the street to the general practioner and waited patiently with her. Unusually for Lorelai she was quiet, the lack of dramatics telling him she was in quite a bit of pain. Dread began to mount as they were squeezed in for an appointment and then summarily dismissed to head to the nearest hospital, their local doctor unable to rule out a break with all the swelling.

After sorting out the kids with Emily they headed across to Lichfield. Lorelai sat with her eyes closed, weathering the bumps in the road. When it was safe to do so Luke would reach across to stroke her arm or brush her hair away from her face. She would smile at him weakly and it made him feel the teensiest better. Focus on Lorelai he told himself gripping the wheel as they neared the hospital. Driving safely and Lorelai. It ran in an internal monologue all the while the potential of blood and guts gnawing at his calm.

When they arrived Luke left Lorelai in the minivan and got a wheelchair. She was silent as he wheeled her carefully to the triage point, no quips about him being her servant boy or noble steed. Taking it slow meant he didn't jar her, but meant it took longer for her to get help. When they reached the triage point and Lorelai finally began to speak through the window to the nurse, Luke almost erupted.

"She ain't had any painkillers since it happened. She's in a lot of pain. Usually she's over dramatic and talks for…"

"Apparently it's his turn and he wants me seem like I'm Hypodermic Sally," Lorelai scowled up at him. She swatted at him awkwardly. "Though he's right. It hurts a hell of a lot. I'm wondering if I miscalculated over the whole it's not broken thing, but it's probably I'm just an idiot with good taste in shoes and no balance."

The nurse peered through the glass at her with a mildly sympathetic expression. "Did you break the shoe?" she asked shoving the form through the slot.

"No, but I like it a whole lot less," Lorelai clutched the clipboard. "It might get relegated to children's dressing up."

"Lucky kid as long as she doesn't end up in here as well," The nurse smirked and pointed to the side. "Get the form filled in, they'll call you through to x-ray and go from there."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Which would you like?" Emily raised up her arms to show Grace the two options of pyjamas. Her granddaughter's eyes enlarged with excitement at the two options. For all Grace's academic advancement when it came to pink and girlie she was a victim to her age. One pair was a traditional brushed cotton button down in light pink covered in bright pink butterflies, the other, white jersey cotton with a unicorn on the top and rainbows covering the bottom.

Grace stared hard and then sighed heavily. "I don't know Grandma I want them both. Can I ask Willow? She always knows what to wear." she scampered forward without waiting for a response and tugged at the bedclothes. Emily let her take them and Grace scampered out of room with a delighted chuckle.

Emily breathed out a sigh of exhaustion. She been looking after the children since she had collected them from school, and had spent most of the time since, assuring them that Lorelai was really alright and they were staying with her for ease. Now she had entered the bedtime phase. It had been so long since she had done this, she was already exhausted and she hadn't even got them into their pyjamas. It was Lorelai as a child times 4 and she had barely if at all managed to cope with Lorelai. Though at least her grandchildren were a lot less combative and stubborn than Lorelai had been.

She walked across to Sam's room. Peering in, she saw that he had at least had better luck in choosing his pyjamas. Now, however despite being dressed for bed, he was lying on the floor on his stomach pouring over a book whilst nestled beneath the stupid huge dinosaur toy that Richard had bought him. "Samuel," he looked up in alarm. "Ten minutes then into bed," Emily smiled at him.

Sam gave her a gaptoothed smile. "Ok Grandma. Can you read to me?"

"Let me get Gracie into bed and then I will come back and read you a story." Emily gave a soft wink. Sam wriggled his shoulders in delight and went back to reading his book. She turned and walked to the white door that concealed the attic stairs. Halfway up she found Grace's cardigan, at the top she found Grace's t-shirt. Grace's jeans and dirty underwear were on the floor by the coffee table on which she now sat wearing the rainbow bottoms from the one pair and the button down top of the other pair. Willow was expertly braiding her younger sister's hair. Emily paused and listened to the girls. Kitty was explaining in fairly disgusting detail what Lorelai could have done to her ankle that would be bad even if her ankle wasn't broken.

"Kitty," Willow chastised, fixing one thick braid of Grace's hair. "Mommy's leg is going to be alright. She wouldn't have been able to walk on it at all if she had really badly hurt it. Stop being gross."

"Fine," Kitty performed a perfect pirouette and collapsed onto the sofa inelegantly. "I just think it will be cool if she has crutches, then we can play on them."

"They are a healing tool," Willow rolled her eyes. "Not that I want Mommy to be hurt but it would be cool if she had a cast, then we could draw her pictures on it."

"You can draw her pictures on paper," Emily interjected stepping properly into the room. "Gracie why are you…"

"Willow said the rainbows were awesome and the top was classic," Gracie interjected.

"Mommy always says classic shapes work for her," Willow nodded resolutely as she tied the second braid up.

"And we should always be awesome," Kitty looked across at Emily "I think they work better this way as well. Besides look how cute she is."

"Baby face," Willow prompted turning Grace to look at Emily.

Emily stifled a laugh as the three girls turned to look at her with wide eyed pleading. "Very well," she relented. "Now Grace you need to come down to your bedroom. I promised your brother I would read to him after I had read to you."

"Kay," Grace got up and kissed her older sisters in turn before scampering down the stairs.

Emily crossed over to collect her abandoned clothes. She regarded the twins lounging on the sofa. Their brows were creased and they didn't look tired in the least. "Let me get the younger two to sleep and then we can watch a movie."

"Really?" the twins sat forward in excitement.

"Have a look in the cabinet," Emily pointed to an inconspicuous wooden cabinet that concealed the dvd player and her small collection of dvds. "Come to a consensus while I'm putting Grace and Sam to bed." She gave a little noise of surprise as the twins launched themselves out of their seats and raced to the cabinet. "Careful girls!"

"Sorry Grandma," Willow mumbled as the pair pulled the dvd cases out of the cabinet. "Dance movies and musicals!"

"No Step up or anything like that," Kitty lamented.

"Hairspray!" Willow pulled one out.

Emily stifled a laugh as Kitty wrinkled her nose in disgust but then let out a gasp of delight. "Have you found one Kitty?"

"First Wives Club!" Kitty bounced in excitement. "Mommy loves this movie."

"It's brilliant!" Willow called in delight attempting to put the other cases back.

"Agreed," Emily nodded. "Now tidy up and I'll be back as soon as I can and we can watch it." She turned on her heels and made her way down the stairs to the strains of the twins pitchy version of the final song. It seemed to wipe the exhaustion away.

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory followed Gigi into the busy diner. The Saturday morning rush was at its tail end. Enough that Lorelai had managed to claim a number of tables to push together so the family could all sit. Or at least, enough that Lorelai would have commanded Luke to push the tables together. Her Mom sat at one end of the tables peering at her phone with her leg propped up on the chair next to her. There was no one else from the family there, apart from Luke who seemed to be in the midst of destroying his kitchen.

"Hey Mom,"

"Hey," Lorelai mumbled as she finished with her phone and then looked up and gave them a wide smile. "How are two of my favourite girls?"

"Good," Gigi answered. "Are we the first here?"

"Oh no," Lorelai flexed her hands indicating she wanted Gigi to come to her so she could give her a kiss. "You are fashionably late."

"So where is everyone?" Rory asked sitting down next to Lorelai.

"Because of the gossip columnists and the interview the feds were conducting April took everyone upstairs." Lorelai waved vaguely towards the plaid curtain that hid the stairs to the office upstairs.

"I'm gonna go say hi," Gigi turned towards the counter. "Charlotte right?"

"Charlotte," Lorelai nodded. "She's lovely."

"So the crashing in the kitchen is just because he's tired then, not that he hates the daughter's girlfriend," Rory mused glancing towards the kitchen and the particularly loud crash that came from in. Instinctively her hands slid forward and she cupped the mug in front of her bringing it to her lips. Lorelai squeaked beside her. "What?"

"That is mine. I'm wounded and in need of much caffeine. How very dare you," Lorelai pouted childishly.

"Dare, I shall." Rory took another sip and then set the mug down in front of her Mom. "What time did you get home? I couldn't figure it out from the texts. Some of them look a little painkiller fuelled."

"Perhaps. I sent a great one to Michel. And thank you so much for the copious sympathy!" Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't sure how serious it was. You call wolf so much I thought you were just being your dramatic self at first. Then you made me puke with the photograph."

Lorelai's eyes narrowed in delight. "Literally?"

"Not literally but close enough," Rory straightened her back and peered warily at her mother's propped up foot. It was heavily bandaged and encased further in a fluffy pink sock so she couldn't really see anything, which was good. Last night at around ten her Mom had sent her a picture of a purple and black tinged foot that looked like it belonged to a person who weighed 4 times more then she did given the size of it.

"Good," Lorelai wriggled her shoulders in delight and then looked warily at her injured limb. "Very bad sprain. Basically as bad as it can be. I got told off, for walking and driving on it. I had to have an MRI to see if they need to fix it surgically which they don't think, but I have to be reviewed to see how it heals. Keep walking to a minimum until the swelling goes down, keep it elevated as much as possible. No driving for at least a week. Go from there"

"Can I have the shoes then?" Rory asked. She grinned knowingly at her Mom, Lorelai poked her tongue out at her. "So no."

"No."

"So Luke is just tired grumpy then."

Lorelai let out a weary sigh. "No. The crashing is because of Anna."

Rory frowned. She leaned in, conscious that Miss Patty was sat nearby making her fruit salad last a heck of a long time. "What has she done now?"

"She didn't do anything. I saw her in a coffee shop after I took refuge following the great fall and I'm not sure exactly what I said to her. Owing to the ow and the embarrassment of going A over T." Lorelai chewed nervously on her lip. "I think I yelled at her."

"Good," Rory nodded angrily.

"No. Not good. I mean she deserves it of course. But If I'm yelling I like to remember the yell. Store it up, remember the good moments. Refine it for later. At the very least I like to know what I said so I know if any shit is heading towards the fan." Lorelai groaned and tipped her head forward. "Everything is good for April now. I don't want to make it crappy for her. She just got over the Christmas card horror and now I've probably dredged it all up." She looked up towards the ceiling. "She doesn't need two bad Mom's."

"She doesn't have two bad Mom's. She has one bad one and not the one I'm looking at," Rory glanced over her shoulder. "I'm getting coffee."

"Bring me back a refill seeing as you drank half of mine."

"Two tiny sips!" Rory rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna say hi to Luke."

Lorelai gave her a faintly mournful look. "Take the cloche as a shield."

Rory flicked her eyes towards the ceiling and then headed for the counter. She paused for a moment and then approached the kitchen opening. Tentatively she knocked on the doorframe. Inside was a steaming whirl of activity as Luke produced enough breakfast food to sate the large family. The loud banging was him slamming the pan used for pancakes back and forth on the grill. "Hey," she whispered cautiously.

Luke looked over his shoulder and nodded at her. His tiredness combined with worry over her Mom and stressing over what might happen with Anna plus what it meant for April seemed to have stripped him of his communication skills.

"Can I help?" Rory asked carefully. Luke paused in his cooking and looked at her incredulously. "I can ladle and I plate your food very well. I've been doing it for years."

"The big dishes down there. I just got to do the pancakes but it's taking too long I can only do three at a time. But if there isn't enough…" his nostrils flared.

"They'll live," Rory walked into the kitchen. Beside the stove was the waffle iron. It was plugged in and she carefully held her hand over it. Still warm. She grabbed the spray and prepared the sides. Luke stared at her in confusion. "Gets it done. Same basic thing and we can cut it in 4. So 8 pieces in the time it takes you to do 3 pancakes." She poured the remaining batter into the two waffle irons and closed it. "You want to talk about it?"

Luke blinked at her and then shook his head quickly.

"Ok," Rory crouched down and lifted the dishes from their place in the cupboard. "Can you stop with the grumping then? People will realise and ask questions." she handed the dishes up to him. "Don't know if you've noticed but your kids are a smart bunch."

Luke took the dishes and placed them gently on the counter. "Yeah." He started to scoop up the bacon. "She seems nice, a little overwhelmed."

"Of course she is, meeting us." Rory chuckled as she started to scoop up the sausage. "We're full on, and that's just Mom and Grandma, add younger siblings and Miss Patty. Whoo!"

Luke smirked. "Are you saying I'm the sanest of the bunch?"

"No," Rory turned around to get some berries from the chiller. "You're the maddest of us all because you married Mom in the first place and perpetuated the madness with the younger kids. But you cook so we'll let you off," she smiled warmly at him. "April's gonna be fine, don't worry about something that might not happen. You have to deal with Mom in pain and incapacitated. I should get you noise cancelling headphones."

Luke chuckled and jerked his head back towards the diner and the main counter. "April already brought me a pair. They are under there."

Rory grinned and finished filling a bowl with berries. "Great minds…" a loud clatter sounded from above and she looked up. "I'll go deal with the wildebeest herd and sort drinks," she nodded towards the waffle iron. "That's nearly done. Don't forget the powdered sugar."

Giving Luke one last smile she entered the main area of the diner and got herself a coffee. She walked her mug and the pot over to the large table to the sounds of her siblings and daughter descending the stairs at a rapid pace. When she turned to put the pot back safe and away from bounding children, a black German saloon car caught her eye slowing as it past the diner. She scowled and peered at it, realising she had seen it do the same action when she had entered the diner and entered the kitchen and it wasn't looking for a parking space because there was plenty even with Taylors latest festival in the square.

"Rory, come say Hi to Charlotte." Willow bounced over to her. Her younger sister studied her curiously and followed her gaze. "What are you looking at?"

"Just a car," Rory told her sister and set the pot back in the machine.

"The black one that's driving in circles," Willow whispered softly. "It's been doing that since we got here. I told Grandma. She said that they are obviously looking for something, and not to worry because Stars Hollow is too small to get lost in." Willow chewed her lip. "Weird though."

"Yeah." Rory placed a comforting hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "Go sit, foods nearly done."

"Meet Charlotte first," Willow insisted. She turned and grabbed Rory's hand dragging her over to the table to meet a mildly bemused young woman who was being grilled by Sam about her favourite dinosaur while the car drove past the diner again.


	45. What would we do baby without us

**AN - Lol, the suspense that's oh so signposted, and as we're only two chapters from the end and the Anna April thing is the last really big thing to be resolved, sorry I know it's super obvious but I hope you like how it get's resolved (in the end :P) and hopefully it's not exactly how you invisage. To be honest re the shoes it always amazes me how Lauren walked around in some of the shoes she wore playing Lorelai. The heel height in some of her shoes are insane considering she was probably wearing them for hours on end and the speed she walks. I hate high heels with a passion and anyone who can put up with them for that long is pretty darn epic. Anyways, penultimate chapter folks with a few different faces :P. I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think. Thank you for reading.**

 **AN2 - also sorry anyone who is called or related to someone called Jez or Jeb.**

 **AN3 - Bonus points, in our imaginary non exisitnat pointless points system for anyone who can get where the title is from. Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you like x**

* * *

 **Chapter 45 – What would we do baby without us**

"Are you really going to be OK with having a playdate?" Luke asked as he put the leftover casserole in a container. Lorelai made a snorting noise and then shifted her position at the kitchen table to look at him over the back of the chair. "Not you, but an extra kid in the house."

"With two very attentive new Daddies," Lorelai chuckled. "I'll be fine. Michel knows I'm injured because of the dramatic retelling at work and at most I'll be making coffee. I can manage that. I've been managing that for the past week anyway." She set her magazine face down on the table. "They just want Navaeh to socialize with other kids before she starts school. It will all be fine, plus it's good for Grace to meet new people. Our little one is very set in her ways."

"Yeah, OK," Luke opened the freezer and frowned. "You need to start eating these for lunch or else we can do a freezer potluck meal."

"Ooohhh I love doing potluck," Lorelai eased herself up from the chair and walked slowly over to the island. She rested her elbow on the counter and raised her injured foot so she didn't place too much weight on it. "Let's do that instead of Diner dinner on Wednesday."

"I don't have cover so you'd have to heat it up yourself." Luke fiddled fitting the container in the fridge. He glanced up at Lorelai who wore an expression of horror. "You can throw things in the microwave for 2 minutes."

"And then what is the point of being married to a chef," Lorelai waved her hand dramatically keeping up her pretence of horror at him deigning to get her to make anything more the sandwiches and coffee in their kitchen. Luke good naturedly rolled his eyes. In response Lorelai gingerly made her way around the island and pressed herself into his side. "I can think of a few other things."

Luke grinned as her lips grazed his ears, only for them to be assaulted by the noise of knocking. The pair of them let out a soft barely audible groan and Luke turned to look at the door of the kitchen. Willow stood at the threshold of the kitchen looking at them cautiously. "Yes Wills?"

"Sorry to interrupt your Mommy Daddy time," Willow blushed and then looked towards the front door.

"What is it Honeybunch?" Lorelai asked twisting on her one good foot to look at their daughter.

"That car is in the driveway," Willow blurted. She looked down at the book in her hands. "I saw it drive in when I was reading on the window chair. It's the one that has been driving around all all weird last week."

Luke frowned and crossed quickly to the front door, through the glass he could see a sleek black German saloon car with blacked out windows. The occupants made no attempt to get out. He looked back at Lorelai in confusion.

Lorelai raised her hands up in surrender. "I've done nothing illegal and I haven't seen any aliens. How about you?" She tugged Willow's braid. Willow shook her head earnestly. "So Not Men in Black then. Willow Tree, why don't you go up and read," Willow wrinkled her nose and Lorelai smirked. "I'll tell you who it is. I promise."

Willow reluctantly made her way slowly up the stairs. Luke looked back at Lorelai "You think it's her?"

"I think it's likely given the whole yelling in public thing," Lorelai sidled up to him, squinting curiously to try and decipher the people inside the car. "Seems the likely scenario, but is it the jackass? What was his name again? Something stupid and Jackassy. Jeb?"

"Jez," Luke growled.

Lorelai waved her hand dismissively. "Close enough. So?" She nodded at the door handle. "Shall we?" she patted his shoulder. "Think of it like ripping a band aid off. Supposedly quick and painless but you know hurts like…" she trailed off and peered up the stairs. Four curious faces peered down from the top of the stairs. "Uh uh, not a spectator sport. Go to bedrooms please."

Luke waited until the grumbling kids disappeared from view apparently going to their bedrooms but without visual checks they could be hiding just out of sight. "Alright." He took a deep breath and opened the front door. After a few moments the car doors opened. Anna or at least a highly polished chic lady who looked like Anna climbed out of the passenger side and a middle aged grey haired man climbed out of the driver side. "Not the jackass," Luke mumbled out of the side of his mouth.

"Any idea who?" Lorelai asked peeking around him.

"No," Luke shook his head. He frowned as Lorelai tugged at his biceps. He looked at her over his shoulder and then followed her insistent nod to look down at his folded arms. With a sigh he uncurled his arms and forced them to lay straight by his side. "Anna." He mumbled as his ex-wife nervously approached the steps up to the house. Anna stopped at the bottom of the steps and stared up, her blue eyes wide and red rimmed. Silence descended. Luke looked back as Lorelai tugged his arm. With a low growl he took a side step letting her get past.

"Hi," Lorelai said carefully, she extended her hand towards the grey haired man. "I'm Lorelai, Luke's wife."

"Steve," The man took the first tread and took her proffered hand. "Steve King…" he waved his hand "Yeah I know. I have no writing talent whatsoever. I'm an accountant."

"That's a shame," Lorelai smiled thinly at him. "So, did you guys want to come in?"

"Is that OK?" Anna asked cautiously.

"Well," Lorelai shrugged, "If you're going to be a bitch and mean to April then no, but seeing as you're here I'm guessing we've had a reboot of the maternal love and a return to a normal personality so sure." She shrugged again. "What?" Lorelai looked innocently at everyone. "Let's not beat around the bush. Straight and to the point."

"Like a knife." Luke rolled his eyes and then took a step backwards into the house. He hovered by the door studying Steve King intently as the man courteously guided Anna up the steps. When the man drew level Luke blurted. "So who are you?"

Steve looked slightly stunned and glanced towards Anna. "I'm Anna's partner."

"Romantic not business I'm guessing," Lorelai muttered before calling up the stairs. "Kitty Willow, bedroom now or Daddy won't let you have dessert for a week." She looked at Luke innocently again. "I would never deny them dessert, obviously, but you with the sugar and the healthy."

Luke frowned at her. She was being unnecessarily snarky with him but then that was most likely her lioness protective streak that always came out when any of the kids were threatened needing to be deflected and as he was the only ally in the room he was bearing the brunt. With a heavy sigh Luke took a leaf from Lorelai's book and went bluntly straight to the point. "So no longer with the jackass then?"

Anna blushed. "No, not for a…a year now."

"A year!" Luke coughed, it served as a way to stop the rage exploding out of him. Instead he sent the boiling rage in his chest down towards his guts making his stomach feel like it was roiling. A whole year! Why the hell hadn't she got in contact?

Anna could clearly read his mind because she softly added. "I did try to call April but her number was changed."

"Oh yeah," Lorelai muttered darkly. "She did change it." She patted his shoulder. "I changed it in your phone it was just easier then getting you to do it."

"So why didn't you call us, or come to the diner or here?" Luke clenched his fists. He could feel himself trembling, the agitation in his stomach seeming to make his skin feel like it was boiling and prickling with heat.

"I…I guess I was scared that she wouldn't want to see me. After what I did. I have no excuse for it. I…He messed with my head. I wasn't thinking straight then. I never should of…" she trailed off. "I fucked up Luke."

"Understatement," Luke huffed in anger. "So why now?"

"Me. I'm guessing," Lorelai sighed. "I did mentioned the Christmas card in the rant at you."

"Yes," Anna nodded looking close to tears. "When you said she tried to send me her new address I…I…I'm hoping she wants to see me."

"Well," Luke looked down at her hands. "That's up to her." He glanced at Lorelai. "We got any writing paper?" laying down the terms without stating them. Anna nodded in understanding, she could write to April, he would pass it on, the rest was up to April.

"No because we're not Victorian. We've got printer paper. I'll get a sheet." she turned and then looked back at Anna. "Or will you need more for your mea culpa?"

"No," Anna shook her head. "One will be enough." she looked down at the ground.

* * *

 **xXx**

Having a playdate for a small child after a long sleepless night of Luke pacing the bedroom was not the best idea, but it was too late to cancel so sleepily Lorelai slowly got the house ready for being invaded by two very fussy men. She was more worried about Michel and Frederick then their new little girl. Sure enough, two minutes before their scheduled arrival time a large silver range rover pulled into the driveway. "Grace!" She called up the stairs. As she watched through the window, Michel and his husband, dressed in coordinated outfits climbed out and Frederick went to the back of the car, while Michel went to the trunk. Michel collected an enormous floral arrangement and a large tote bag while Frederick spent a very long time helping the small little girl out of the car. "Gracie!" Lorelai called up the stairs again. She heard movement upstairs so she forced a smile on her face and opened the front door. "Hi!"

The little girl shrunk against Frederick's side. Michel made a big show of racing up the steps. Lorelai blinked in surprise as Michel gave her two extravagant air kisses and then thrust the flowers at her. "For you." He turned before Lorelai could say anything and bent down to his daughter's diminutive height. "My Naveah, this is your Auntie Lorelai. She works with Papa."

"Hi Naveah," Lorelai smiled softly at the little girl. "He's wrong, he works with me." She scrunched her nose to show the humour and Naveah gave a little smile, emerging from behind Frederick a fraction. "This is Grace." She nodded towards the stairs. Grace was in the process of jumping down each one in turn, seemingly using the time to assess the new family unit in front of her. "Grace come say hello to Naveah."

Grace landed on the hardwood floor at the bottom of the stairs and tipped her head to the right. "Naveah is heaven spelled backwards. That's cool. My name would be Ecarg which is silly. My Big sister's name is Willow and that would be Wolliw which is still silly but not as much. Mommy would be Ialerol which kind of works to. Sam, that's my brother that would be Mas, and Daddy would be Ekul that kind of works too" Grace frowned realising that her display of word play prowess was not having the desired effect. "Would you like to play. We've got a play kitchen in there, or we can go play with my toys in my room. Or we could colour. Or we could play with the rabbit, but he's probably sleeping." She gave a little shrug. "I don't know what you like so I said it all. Oh Books. I forgot books. We've got lots of books. I love books. I like reading."

"I like reading." Naveah whispered.

"Why don't you show Naveah the library," Lorelai prompted.

"Ok," Grace held out her hand to Naveah, waiting patiently for the little girl to take it. "It's in here," Grace told her before rather forcefully pulling Naveah into the living room.

"Well that's going to go splendidly," Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Thank you for the flowers, they are beautiful. I'd say you didn't need to but you did and I love them."

"They are already in water so you won't kill them." Michel told her.

"Very wise," Lorelai glanced at the box the flowers were in. "Anyway, you two in here," she inclined her head backwards. "Lets give them some space." Michel and Frederick reluctantly followed her into the kitchen. "Don't worry they will shriek if they need us. Sorry about the mess, the twins have to do a 'When I grow up' project for school. Kitty is going to be an ice dancer or a Supreme Court justice."

"She will be good at that," Michel noted as he pulled out the chair and studied it before sitting down. "Why is this pile so big?"

"Willow hasn't decided what she wants to be. Currently, we have nurse, teacher, painter, writer, dog groomer, hairdresser and fashion designer. We don't want to nail her to one thing just yet. I'm personally hoping for hairdresser or nurse. It will save us a fortune either way." She set the flowers in the middle of the table. "Coffee? Or there is tea, it's Luke and you'll have to make that yourself because tea is gross and I always get it wrong. Apparently."

"She does," Michel told Frederick. His eyes flicked over Lorelai. "You look tired, did you injure yourself again?"

"No." Lorelai looked down self-consciously. "We had a thing last night."

"Mommy." Grace announced as she marched into the kitchen. "I need the blanket. The furry one. I'm going to read to Naveah," she turned to look at the two men sat at the table. "Sam spilled juice on the blanket, and it's the best for read cuddles."

Lorelai stifled a smile. Slowly she made her way over to the laundry room and got the blanket that she had cleaned earlier in the week but hadn't got back to the living room. "Here you are Shortcake."

"Thank you." Grace snatched it from her. Her little fingers instinctively stroked the soft surface.

"You need me to tuck you in?" Lorelai asked. Grace shook her head. She gave Lorelai a grateful smile and skipped out of the room. "Trust me this age is easy. It's older that's the problem."

"The twins?" Michel guessed.

"No well, apart from them being curious and not wanting to go to bed." Lorelai sighed heavily. "This time it was Anna, which meant it was Luke which means it's going to be April."

"Uggh." Michel scoffed, "April's mother is…"

"April's mother." Lorelai cut him off. "We all have our opinions. What matters is April."

She missed the look that Frederick obviously sent Michel but Michel waved his hand dramatically. "I will tell you later."

"I bet you will," Lorelai narrowed her eyes at him. "So I look bad then?"

"Nothing a good under eye mask wouldn't fix." Michel shrugged noncommittally. "I like the Estee Lauder patches. It is that time though for you. This type of thing…"

"Michel," Frederick placed a hand on Michel's arm. "What did I say?"

Michel scoffed again. "If they can't fix it in two minutes don't say anything."

"Huh?" Lorelai raised her eyebrows. "You are trying to fix him."

"Not fix," Frederick kept his hand on Michel's arm. "I quite like the snark but Naveah should see kindness more than anything else. So the snark should be tempered."

"Clipped!" Michel moaned. He pouted. In the tiny silence the sound of tinkling laughter filtered through from the living room. Michel's pout switched to pleading.

"Go on then," Lorelai pretend rolled her eyes. The two men jumped up from their chairs and scurried towards the living room. Lorelai followed carefully, doing her best not to hobble. When she reached the arch that separated the hallway from the living room she peered around the corner and smiled at the sight. The two little girls were cocooned in the blanket Grace clearly reading the book with Naveah snuggled against her. She tugged the backs of the two men's crisp shirts. "Space boys."

"Can I take a photo?" Michel asked softly.

"Quick and silent," Lorelai relented. "Like a fart."

"You are a child," Michel shook his head while he fumbled for his camera app on his phone.

"I have to have some way to keep young,"

Michel looked up and gave her an apologetic smile. He caught Fredericks eye. "Alright I know."

"Wow," Lorelai teased as she turned away from the living room she grinned at Frederick. "Where were you for the first ten years I knew him?"

* * *

 **xXx**

Rory tried to keep out of the way of the flow of people but it was proving difficult, she had forgotten just how busy some parts of New York could be, a bit like pain, it had been erased from her brain. She glanced at her wrist, she still had ten minutes until her appointment thought she still had to find the floor and office she needed to find. At the other end of the line April was filling her in on the letter she had received from her mother.

"April," Rory cut her sister off as April finally took a pause. "Have you spoken to Luke or Mom?"

"No," April admitted "they gave it to me and then we all just sat there staring at it. In the end Mom broke out boggle and Dad nearly ripped the arm of the chair off. I…with your experience of…"

"It was different with Christopher," Rory sighed she glanced at her watch again. "I'm getting the 3 o'clock train back. The connection is in New Haven. I can get off there and we can have dinner together."

"What about Gigi?"

"She's having a sleepover with a friend," Rory told her softly."

"Are you sure?" April asked softly.

"Of course I am. I just have to go right now…"

"Your meeting with the publisher," April finished. "I'm sorry. Text me what the time the train is expected and I'll meet you there. Kick ass in there."

"I will," Rory smiled "Chin up Kid."

"Less of the Kid thank you. Bye Rory."

Rory closed the call and then took a calming breath. She had seven minutes to find the office and visit the bathroom before her meeting. She squared her shoulders and walked purposefully through the revolving door which disgorged into a marble plated lobby. She moved with the flow of the people and then side stepped to head towards the building reception. She was directed to a bank of elevators and told to go to the sixteenth floor. Just as the brass elevator door went to close a man slipped in. He was staring at his phone, but something about him made Rory pay closer attention to him than the other occupants of the carriage. "Logan?" she whispered in surprise. The man looked up and back with disinterest. He stared at her for a few moments and then something shifted in his brain, clicking back over a decade to when they had had a fling for a few months.

"Rory Gilmore." He smiled easily at her and slid his IPhone into his pocket. "What brings you here?"

"I'm meeting my publisher…I'm publishing a book. Hopefully…It's a cover concept meeting…I think…I'm new to this." She blushed and then swallowed. "You?"

"Several holdings are in this building. Dad likes me to drop in on occasion keep them on their toes." He grinned at her. "So, a published author?"

"Almost published," Rory corrected. "I'm a teacher…An English teacher."

Logan flicked his eyes up and down her. He nodded. "If ever there was someone who was suited to that job that was you. I mean you and Jane Austen. I literally had to strip that one time to get you to stop talking about her and her novels."

Rory's eyes bulged in surprise and she looked nervously at the other occupants in the small space. "You work for the family business?"

"Yeah," Logan nodded. "But once I produced the next heir Dad loosened the reigns a little and allowed me to diversify a little. I also run a collection of events businesses. A couple of holiday apps. Adventure holiday firms. Extreme parties. Newest venture is Escape Rooms. So far so good."

"That sounds like you."

"More fun than print media. That is a slog. The online magazines are more successful." Logan nodded. He looked up as the elevator paused again, letting another two of its occupants out.

"So you have a son?" Rory asked carefully.

"Mathis, he's 4 and then there is Manon she's 2 and Anais…" He reached for his phone and pulled it out quickly opening it to show her an obviously posed portrait of two beautiful shining children smiling beauteously at the camera either side of a stunning dark haired woman who was cradling a tiny bundle of a new baby. "6 Weeks. The photo was Odette's idea. She's a model, or was. But she's a big deal in France and likes to control press access when it comes to the kids, so does stuff like this." Logan retracted his arm and smiled at the screen before tucking it away in his jacket. "You're hitched too." He pointed at her ring finger of her left hand as she held her bag. "Any kids?"

"Yes. Gigi She's fourteen." Rory told them. She smiled as Logan blinked in surprise. She stifled a laugh as she watched the cogs of his mind working as he tried to figure out who that was possible. "Technically she's my half-sister. Spencer, my Husband, and I adopted her."

Logan raised his eyebrows in surprise and gave her an admiring look. He looked up as the elevator stopped again. "You?" he asked when no one else moved.

"Yes," Rory took a step forward. "It was nice to see you again. I hope you get enough sleep with a new baby"

"We have a night nanny," Logan smirked self-deprecatingly. He caught the elevator door as it started to close and fumbled in his jacket pocket. "Email me with the title of the book when it's ready. We'll get it favourably reviewed in the appropriate magazines." He held out a business card.

Rory took the card in surprise. "Thank you!"

"What are friends for?" Logan grinned keeping his hand against the door. "I'll contact you when I need advice on schools. Bye Ace. Good luck with the book." He took his hand away from the sensor letting the doors close in front of him. Rory stared at the closed elevator doors for a few moments and then with a deep breath sighed and turned to walk towards the reception desk. Just beyond the reception desk in the hallway that led into the depth of the workings of the publisher, two professionals, a man and a woman, were staring at her in surprise. The woman scurried towards the reception desk as Rory gave her name.

"You're Rory Gilmore?" the woman asked "…and you know Logan Huntzberger?"

"Kind of," Rory blinked at her in surprise. She looked down at the receptionist who look equally as surprised. "We were at college together."

"Louisa Minnow," The woman smiled, an expression that looked incongruous with her severe bob haircut. "I was on the call the other day."

"Marketing and promotions." Rory forced herself to smile.

"Exactly. Did I hear correctly that he's offered to review your book in his magazines?" Louisa Minnow beamed stopping short of completing the bounce for joy that she wanted to. When Rory nodded shoe almost thought that Louisa's face would split in two. "That is so, so great. Everything helps with first time authors and a foot in the door with the magazines is absolute gold!"

* * *

 **xXx**

April put her car in park as she stared up at her grandma's house. It was early, too early, but she had been up most of the night. Three days of not sleeping was causing havoc with her brain. She couldn't concentrate, couldn't push that letter out of her mind.

 _I'm sorry. Please can we talk._

Six words. That had been it. The charitable part of her brain told her it was her Mom not wanting to force her if she didn't want to talk. The uncharitable part thought, _bitch, that's all she has to say after what she did._ She did want to see her Mom, I mean she was her Mom but she also, didn't. Everything about her Mom ended up with her feeling worse; a pawn in a power war with her Dad, being ignored, worst being shunned. No one was perfect, she knew that but was having contact with her Mom again worth the pain and upset it would inevitably cause her.

She had intended to go to the Diner, to go see her Dad help him set up for the day. To go through quiet rituals where they talked in circles and he made her feel better with his quiet seething rage that he didn't want to show her but she could see fighting to get out. But she'd ended up here, one because her Grandma would show her love, shower her in kindness and spoil her, which she really felt like she needed and two, because Grandma had been where Anna had sat. Grandma had been to Lorelai what Anna was to her, and she really needed to try to understand that position. The gulf between Lorelai and Emily had been huge, but that had taken sixteen years to even begin to heal. Had that felt like a punishment, or was it an expected outcome of how their lives had been.

Slowly April climbed out of the car and made her way up the perfectly presented path to the black door. She let herself in. She paused in the hallway listening for sounds of the house. There was lights on in the kitchen, and the soft sound of Emily talking to what sounded like Athena. If not she was speaking very strangely to Berta. Sure enough, the little dog came out of the kitchen with a curious expression on her face. When the dog saw her, its little tail began to wag in excitement. Athena turned in a little circle and gave a little yip.

"Oh!" Emily sounded in surprise as she exited the kitchen. "Yes, yes go say hello you silly thing" she waved her hand and the dog scampered across the hallway to April. "Are you alright sweetheart?" Emily asked carefully as she crossed the hallway.

April gave a heavy sigh and bent down to scoop the excitable little dog into her arms. "Did Mo…Lorelai tell you?"

"About your mother, yes," Emily straightened her shoulders. "Come into the kitchen. I've got coffee going," she turned and made her way back towards the kitchen.

April followed her, cradling the little dog in her arms. When she entered, she half expected Emily to tell her to put the dog down, but instead her Grandma silently made coffee and collected two Danishes from a container on the grey marble counter. Emily set the coffee and the plated Danish on the grey surface and nodded at the stool. "Don't let her eat any of that"

"I won't," April sat and rested the dog on her lap. Athena gazed hopefully at the Danish. "None for you." April pushed the plate far enough that Athena would have to leap to get it.

"Now," Emily sat on the stool beside her. "I can venture a guess as to why you are here instead of with Luke or Lorelai." She reached out her hand looking like she was going to brush a stray strand of hair away from April's head but at the last moment transferred her hand down to stroke the dog's sleek fur. "All I will say is, you must do what is right for you April. You aren't like Lorelai you see beyond the edge of your circle." April pressed her lips together. Her line of questioning had been cut off before she had even begun it. She looked down at the dog, unsure what to say. Emily's hand traced up, and at last brushed the stray strand of hair from her face. "Whatever you decide to do. I am always here for you," Emily whispered. "But, you must decide for yourself."

"I know," April whispered hollowly.

"Eat your Danish, sugar always helps." Emily's hand rested on her forearm. She leaned forward and slowly rose from her chair. "I have fruit and when Berta gets here, she can make you and your father a proper breakfast."

"What?" April looked up at her in surprise. She inhaled softly as her Grandma placed the softest of kisses on her forehead.

"I'm going to call him," Emily cupped April's cheeks with the palms of her hand. "I always found in times like these that the best person to turn to is fathers. They always give the best hugs and that is just what is needed here." She tenderly kissed April's forehead once more. "I'll be right back."

When Emily let go of her face, April nearly sagged and fell over from the chair. It was almost as if the small human contact had weakened her skeletal structure. She clung to Athena for support, the dog craning its head to give little affectionate licks to her nose. It seemed like mere seconds though it was the best part of ten minutes. When her grandma returned she was followed by her Dad. Her Grandma said nothing just stepped forward and scooped Athena out of her arms before stepping out the way to let her Dad reach her. His arms encircled her and he pulled her into his chest. He smelled, as he always did, like pancake batter and coffee, his flannel shirt was soft against her cheek, now slowly turning damp as she softly cried into his chest. "Dad…I want to see her but what if she does it again." He answered with a kiss to the crown of her head. Completely unable to answer her and doing they only thing he could do which was show her that no matter what, he was always there.


	46. What's Mine, is Yours

**AN - 1000 imaginary points to those who got Family Ties. Yes. That was the original title of the chapter but I then decided I didn't like it.**

 **So here we are the final curtain. For now at least this story is at an acceptable end point. We have roughly caught up timeline wise (the story is now in Summer 2017) and each story has roughly covered 3 years, which is alot. So if there is to be more I need the real world to move on a bit to give me ideas to play off. As it is a slice of life story obviously it's not an end end it's just a natural stopping point. So yeah for now no more. From a personal POV I really need to focus on finishing my degree and I want to work on a novel draft and then hopefully pursue getting that published. But who knows maybe this trilogy will turn into a quadrilogy. It is very strange for me which is why I think these last few chapters have taken so long to write and edit. This version of the family have been with me for just over two years. When I first started writing Luke and Lorelai had just embarked on their relationship and other than a few things I had no real idea where this was going, certainly them ending up with 4 kids wasn't on the cards nor Rory adopting Gigi but sometimes stories steer the ship. Thank you for all of you who have stayed with me on this journey. Thank you for the reads and the likes and the follows and of course the reviews. At times when I felt lost those words of thanks and encouragement have meant the world to me. For those that respond to this last chapter and are guests I will thank you now, for those with profiles I will pm you.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, thank you so much for everything. I hope you enjoy the last chapter. x**

* * *

 **Chapter 46 – What's Mine, is Yours**

"Penny for them," Lorelai asked as she lifted herself onto the stool at the counter of the diner. April sat in front of the register staring intently at a notepad. "Oh God it's Math. I don't want to know. I've been doing books all morning."

April gave her a weak smile. "Just budgeting and thinking."

"Budget boredom." Lorelai rolled her eyes and tried to take a closer look. Her eyes fell on the word Charlotte, underlined, circled and surrounded in question marks. "You ok on that front, we can give you a bit more if you need extra."

"I'm OK," April closed her notebook. "Grandma," she offered simply.

"Ah, the Gilmore Checkbook. It has its benefits." Lorelai resisted the urge to brush April's hair from her face. April look tired and drawn. She had still; at least as far as Lorelai knew, not made contact with Anna, nor had she brought it up. April had however been spending more time in Stars Hollow, staying with them and with Emily when her studying allowed. Emily had even been flexible enough to let Charlotte stay over. Separate bedrooms of course, but in the same house. Lorelai was desperate to talk to April about it, but when it came to Anna she knew she had to maintain, at least an appearance of, a certain level of respect for the complicated web of horror that was the relationship. Really she wanted to tell April that she was hers and that bitch had had her chance. But that was neither helpful nor productive even if it would make her feel better. "Honestly, the service in this place," she scoffed, trying to change onto a subject that would mean she didn't say what she really wanted to.

"Dad's helping Spencer. Too much stuff, not enough space," April's smile warmed. "I think you're losing your garage."

"As long as I don't lose my sewing room. I've still got 3 fairies to finish and 2 pirates." Lorelai sighed heavily. The schools summer pageant was approaching at breakneck speed. As with every year, she offered to help with the costumes, but this year with the added work at the Amaryllis and a more absent than usual Michel at the Dragonfly, she was severely lacking for time. Luke was not being hugely helpful in the taking over bedtimes to help her have time in the evenings as he was caught up helping Rory and Spencer, now that Spencer had finally moved up from Baltimore. Spencer's job at Yale started in two weeks and they were now busy trying to fit a six-bedroom house into a two-bedroom apartment. Even with the storage unit, it was a stupidly tight squeeze. She meanwhile just dropped hints about the now empty Crapshack. So far, no bites.

"What do you want? I can get it" April stood up before Lorelai had a chance to protest, "I'm not strict like Dad, so if you want a donut burger with three types of cheese, go for it."

Lorelai twisted her mouth as she considered the choice that had been presented to her. "Now is the burger replaced by the donut or instead of the bun?" she asked carefully. She shook her head in mild amusement. "I can just hear the horror in your Dad's voice. Why don't you just eat a stick of butter? Better yet just let me give you an IV of cholesterol!" Blissfully, April gave a snort of amusement. Lorelai shot her a beaming smile. "Coffee to start and maybe a turkey sandwich, whatever breads open."

"A turkey sandwich. That's it?" April gave her an uncertain look.

Lorelai sighed heavily. "Unfortunately I have discovered that the dusting has caused technical difficulties when it comes to the eating whatever the hell I want."

April stared at her for a moment and then nodded in understanding. "It is a common symptom."

"It's a sucky symptom and as I plan on eating my weight in hotdogs and ice cream at the festival next week and I want to remain fitting in my jeans, every so often I must skip the bacon double cheeseburger and cheese fries that I actually want for something more healthy." She gave April a despairing look.

"Has Dad ever let you eat a bacon double cheeseburger?" April scribbled on a note pad and with a demeanour reminiscent of Luke slammed the sheet of paper down on the pass with a sharp. "Order!"

Lorelai frowned, trying to remember the last time she had a double cheeseburger. "Not since I was pregnant with Grace. I'm pretty sure I'd told him I'd eat him…Not in the dirty way. If he didn't bring me one. But since then only a single hamburger. Your Dad is a food…" she trailed off. "You know now there are actual Nazi's, it feels wrong to joke about them."

"Because the whole murdering of 6 million people and near destruction of a continent made it fine before," April muttered glibly.

"Good point, well made," Lorelai scrunched her nose up in mild apology. She grinned as April started to copy Luke in manner, wiping the counter and fiddling with the salt and pepper dispensers "Can I be nosy?" April looked at her warily. Lorelai gave her a cheeky smile. "What is with the circling underline and halo of question marks about?" April blushed red but smiled. "Spill."

April cast a look around the almost empty diner. "I was thinking of maybe asking her to move in with me. It's stupid her paying rent on somewhere…but I don't know if we're there yet and then it brings the whole other…thing…I have too much going on to be dealing with my…" she trailed off and sighed. "I was thinking about asking her. She's been so great with everything. Especially with all the stuff Anna has brought up."

Lorelai attempted to prevent herself from reacting to April calling Anna by her name, rather than Mom. She failed. Abysmally. The red blush on April's cheeks vanished instead a kind of waxy yellow wiped across her thin face. Lorelai swallowed and forced her attention on the original topic. "I think asking Charlotte to move in with you will be really great."

April turned a more normal colour and gave a soft nod. "I hope so." She looked warily at the other patrons and then sighed heavily, her heavy exhalation doing nothing to unburden the tension in her shoulders. "I've decided I don't want to see Anna right now. I want to be happy and it's always too much. Too much toxicity." She exhaled sharply. "I've said we can talk on the phone. I'll call her. When I want to. I agreed to at least one call a month."

"Payment for that whole giving you life thing, huh?" Lorelai tentatively reached her hand across to April's and squeezed. "As long as that is right for you."

"It is for now," April clung onto her hand. "I mean it when I say just like Rory sees Dad as hers, I see you as mine." She smiled weakly. "I forget the step."

"Me too Apricot," Lorelai stood on the bar of the stool, leaning forward to give April a kiss on the forehead. "It's always been All In. In fact I think I may like you a teensiest bit better as you didn't make me fat."

April snorted in amusement. "You weren't fat."

"I was a planet. Poor Pluto! It got knocked off its pedestal by me," Lorelai chuckled. "Want to share some cheese fries?"

"No," April shook her head. "But I'll share the apple pie with you," she nodded towards the pie nearest them under the glass. "Dad's got caramel sauce."

Lorelai's eyes widened in delight. "Screw the jeans!"

* * *

 **xXx**

"Ow! F*CK!"

Spencer's mouth dropped open and he turned from his crouched position by the drawer to look up at Rory. "When did she start swearing?"

"She's fourteen," Rory muttered not looking up from the paper she was grading. "Give it a second she'll be…"

The bedroom door flew open. The wooden door collided with the dresser, making the too many pairs of balled up socks cascade from the drawer Spencer had open. Gigi stood in the doorframe wreathed in hormonal anger. "This is ridiculous!"

"I know Sweets," Rory stated calmly. "We're looking into it. Dad and I have appointments to look at some houses."

"You should have thought about it before!" Gigi gave an almost shriek. "I mean…GOD!"

"Yeah, we suck. I'm sorry," Rory looked up from her work. "Do you want to go hang out with Brayden? He's at the library tonight right?"

The expression on Gigi's face softened and Spencer thought that she almost looked like the daughter he remembered instead of the crazed banshee that seemed to inhabit her body. "Ok," Gigi smiled softly.

"Curfew's at ten," Rory called noncommittally.

Spencer frowned as Gigi gave a delighted pivot and managed to get out the apartment in seeming nanoseconds. "Uh?" He turned to look at Rory who had gone back to her grading "Two questions. Who the hell is Brayden and what happened with Gigi?"

"Puberty happened with Gigi." Rory muttered. "She gets like this sometimes and it's easier to just go with the flow until proper Gigi returns. Brayden is the kid who works in the library. You've met him."

"I have?" Spencer frowned trying and failing to place the kid.

"Yes and if you can't remember him picture Sam's personality in a sixteen year olds body. He's basically like that kids in _Inside Out,_ he looks terrified whenever he sees someone of the opposite sex but he's very taken with Gigi. He also knows that her Grandpa is Luke and Luke terrifies him so," she looked up and smiled. "He's sweet really."

"He's a teenage boy," Spencer's scowl deepened. "I know what I was like and I was sweet. If he touches her in any way…"

"Then you can pair up with Luke for a lynching," Rory chuckled. "Besides if you say no you'll force them together. Don't forget her genetics," she gave him a meaningful look. "When the hormones are in play there is way too much Christopher."

"Well that explains the demon then," Spencer bent down to pick on the upended socks. "How many houses are we looking at?"

"Just two," Rory sighed sadly. "One looks like it's the same size of this just with a yard and the other needs so much work it would probably be easier pulling it down and starting again. According to the realtor, it's slow on the sales front. She did have some rental properties we could look at. Maybe we should do that and keep a look out for a house we actually want."

Spencer gave a defeated sigh. "Then we'll be paying someone else's mortgage and taking away from the money we have to buy, properties are only going to get more expensive."

"I know, but I've been saving most of the rental money I get from the building Grandpa left me. Even after paying for your apartment in Baltimore we have more than enough, and we don't have to pay for flights now." She looked at him thoughtfully. "We just need to get this place tidied up a bit."

"You could get rid of some of your books," Spencer teased. Rory stared at him in horror. "You know I'm joking."

"Of course, because if you were serious, I'd divorce you. This marriage is me, you and my books." Rory leaned forward and shuffled the papers in front of her. "We've got an hour and a half if you want to something a bit more fun."

"That's optimistic." Spencer threw the socks in the drawer and slammed it with his leg.

"Well. A Girl can hope and you know we are terribly out of practice and you know what they say." Rory raised herself up onto her knees and smiled coyly at him. She started to undo her blouse. "Practice makes perfect."

* * *

 **xXx**

"What exactly was that about?" Luke muttered out of the side of his mouth. Lorelai waved her hand at him in annoyance. "I know, cute and parents."

"Exactly, and I think it was about all kids getting a part." Lorelai bounced in her seat. "Besides Sssshhh it's Gracie and Sam's part."

Luke rolled his eyes and sank into his chair. Lower Grade Summer pageants were the most pointless thing in the world. They were lucky if the kids could remember the words, let alone sing in tune, not to mention anything else they might be called on to do. Beside him Emily shifted in her seat. "They make up for it in enthusiasm," she muttered. When he glanced at her she looked as bored as he felt. The curtains reopened and Lorelai bounced in her chair, almost looking like she was about to stand up. On stage, Grace stood amongst the other girls dressed in pretty, floaty dresses and fairy wings. The boys stood at the other side of the stage dressed in all manner of costumes. Sam positioned in the back dressed in his explorer outfit. "Well they look darling," Emily muttered. "Lorelai did you make all the costumes?"

"All the girls and the pirates. There are some others but I guess they didn't use them," she frowned as she scanned the stage.

"You made costumes and they haven't used them?" Luke shook his head in disgust. "Do they know how much time you spent on them?"

Lorelai waved her arm in response as one boy and one girl from the groups walked to the centre of the stage. Immediately they started to taunt each other.

"What is this?" Luke stared at Lorelai.

"I don't…oh music," Lorelai waved her hand as the kids on stage started to sing _Anything you can do I can do better._

Luke glanced at Emily who looked equally as confused as the kids on stage paired up and pretended to mock fight _._

"NOW WAAAIIIIIT A MINUTE!"

From amongst what Luke guessed was structured chaos an explosive yell sounded. The crowd on stage parted and Ceilidh, Sam's friend, marched to the front of the stage. She was at least three inches shorter than everyone else, looking like she belonged to the younger age group. Her energy made up for her lack of height.

"Boys aren't better than girls," Ceilidh announced followed by indignant yells of the girls. "No, No," she waved her hand over dramatically. "We are all just as good as each other." Half of the kids responded positively while the other half responded negatively. One little boy strode forward and began to mock the fairy outfits the girls they were wearing.

"Oh!" Lorelai gasped as Grace reappeared this time wrapped in a black sparkly cloak.

"We can wear anything!" Grace called as more of the girls ran off stage. Seemingly, moments later they ran back on wearing other costumes.

"Oh my God. Baby quick change!" Lorelai burbled in excitement.

"We can be anything!" Grace called into the auditorium.

"Yeah!" A little boy marched forward. "No one is better or worse than anyone else. We can all change the world."

A boy and girl on stage looked at him in a bad representation of alarm and then yawned dramatically. "I don't want to change the world. I just want to be happy."

The kids started to skip around calling out what made them happy.

"See," It was Sam who stepped forward this time. He took a deep breath and stared seriously out into the dark auditorium. "We're all just shiny happy people."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Lorelai smacked her hand against Luke's thigh.

"He said one line," Luke muttered, completely bemused by what was going on in front of him.

"No," Lorelai smacked him again. "Shiny Happy People." She tore her eyes away from the stage and flared her eyes in excitement. "R.E.M!"

Sure enough, no sooner had she said it the string intro began and the children now all facing forward began bouncing and waving their hands roughly singing in tune with the R.E.M Classic.

"What the hell!" Luke muttered.

"It's cute!" Lorelai waved her hand at him.

"This song is about Government propaganda and people not caring what they do to them as long as they are happy," Luke hissed at her.

"I know that, Sam was obviously stating the subversive nature of the American Dream. Give me Liberty or Give me Death. Most of us choose death." Lorelai looked at him incredulously. "This is brilliant."

"It's insane!" Luke sank back into his chair while the kids on stage finished the number waving their hands in delight and smiling cherubically. The children all straightened and then bowed before filing off stage.

"That was amazing!" Lorelai smiled breathlessly at him. "Who ever came up with that is a genius."

"Whoever came up with that needs a psych evaluation." Luke countered.

"Luke! Lorelai!" The pair of them turned to find Patty sat two rows behind them. "Your two were great!"

"Thanks Patty," Lorelai beamed.

"You did the costumes right?" Patty returned the beaming smile. "They were amazing!"

"Thank you." Lorelai grinned. "You scouting?"

"Absolutely. Kirk said he would do something to showcase the talent. Rich pickings!"

"That was rich pickings?" Emily muttered alongside Luke.

Luke stifled the urge to smirk. "Kirk did this?" Luke looked around at her.

"Kirk wrote it and did the music," Patty told her with a grin. "Lulu directed it. The second grade one it about Me too."

"Oh Jeez!" Luke leaned forward dropping his head into his hand.

* * *

 **xXx**

"That was disgusting," Spencer murmured into Rory's ear as they made their way down the path of the house they had just finished viewing. While the house on the outside looked a little tired, it did look cared for to a point that the lawn was cut. Inside had been another story. The smell of animals had hit them the minute they had entered. The house had been filthy. "I'm pretty sure I saw mould."

"We knew it was going to be a no." Rory gave a sigh of despondency. "But you heard what she said, there just isn't the movement in the market at the moment." She looked at him nervously as they walked away from the house and headed back towards the town square. She wanted to stay in Stars Hollow and from a logistics point of view it made sense, it was pretty much half way between New Haven for Spencer's new job and Hartford for her at Chilton which was where Gigi would be starting in the new academic year. But they could not stay in the apartment, it was just too small. "Maybe we should rent."

"I guess," Spencer growled. "It just seems so stupid."

"I know," Rory eased course corrected them towards the square where people were beginning to set up for the upcoming festival. "We'll just be paying into Taylor's coffers."

"Taylor?"

"Taylor Doose," Rory pointed towards the market. "He snaps up properties as soon as he can. He's a property tycoon."

"Thereby killing the town he claims to love so much." Spencer shook his head and sent a reproachful look towards the market. "If everyone rents then no one has any loyalty, especially when there is no real industry here."

"I guess," Rory shrugged tiredly. The non starter of a house hunt had drained all her energy. "Lunch?"

Spencer chuckled. "By which you mean the diner."

"Obviously!" Rory nodded. "I am in need of serious chilli cheese commiseration fries that will make me feel better and help me deal with the potential teenage meltdown we're going to get."

"Do you think she will?"

"Not sure we'll get a meltdown, but we'll probably get some surliness." Rory glanced towards the library where Gigi had become a somewhat permanent resident. She gave a soft yelp as Spencer suddenly came to a halt. "What?" She looked up at him and then followed his gaze. He was staring through the window of the diner at her family. Her younger sisters and brother were seated at a table while Mom was being shooed out from behind the counter by an annoyed looking Luke. "What?" she repeated again.

"Did your Mom say she had a house to rent?" Spencer asked softly.

"Only the Crapshack," Rory shrugged. She took a step forward but when Spencer didn't move she looked back.

"That's your childhood home?" Spencer asked her.

"From when I was eleven," Rory told him. She frowned as she realised what he was getting at. It had been eleven years since she had lived in that house. A house that had been so much about her and Mom, about their life together. When it was just them taking on the world as a pair. So, so much had changed in the past decade since they had moved out of the house. Her frown deepened as she realised that her Mom had been mentioning the Crapshack with alarming frequency. She wondered if she had consciously ignored it. She had already come back home, was moving to the Crapshack a step too far in retreat? Was she that much of a Homebod? A human boomerang?

"It was just a thought," Spencer waved his hand as if he was wiping out something written on a blackboard. Her husband reading her mind, seeing her thoughts and knowing he had taken a sidestep into something she didn't want to talk about. "So two orders of chilli cheese fries?"

"Yeah," Rory mumbled letting him guide her into the diner. She blinked in surprise as the kids shouted loudly in greeting at her and she stumbled over to where they were sitting. Spencer sat down and began answering the kids questions as her younger siblings chattered away excitedly.

"You OK Kid?" Lorelai asked stepping up alongside Rory. Rory looked sideways at her Mom and then took her hand, pulling her towards the curtain that hid the staircase up to the office. "Er. Babe?" Lorelai asked cautiously.

"Hang on," Rory insisted as she tugged her Mom up the flight of stairs and into the office space. "Everything is fine."

"Ok Good, because this is freaking me out a little," Lorelai narrowed her eyes at her warily.

"Spencer and I just went to see this house and it was awful. Like worse than when we did the rummage sale because there were dogs or at least their essence," Rory paced in the small space between staff lockers and a worn seat. "It was foul."

"Gross!" Lorelai grimaced. "So why the freaky need for privacy."

Rory turned and stared at her and then flopped down in defeat onto the couch. "Am I a human boomerang?"

Lorelai stared at her blankly. "I have no idea what that is."

"Spencer mentioned the Crapshack and my first thought was oh God yes and then like sooo no. I mean, if we were to live there, I would be living in the house I was when I was a teenager while I'm working in the school I went to. I mean how lame is that?" She stared at her Mom. There was softness in her Mom's smile and an excitement in her Mom's bright eyes that made her skin glow.

"You want to live in the house?" Lorelai's voice was so hopefuly it made Rory almost want to cry.

"Yes," Rory nodded. "But also no."

"Because of the boomerang?" Lorelai smiled and walked over to her, sitting beside her on the couch. "Babe, Boomerang's come back just as they left. You have changed so much. You have your PhD, you're married, you're a Mom. You are going to be a published author. That is just the big things. Huge things. Big Huge Gigantic things. There is all the small weeny things that are too mountainous to talk about. Besides it's not like you are coming back to live with me. It's just the house."

"It's a great house. With soo much more space in it." Rory looked at her hopefully. "God I'm fretting about it and you haven't even said we could have it."

"Of course you can have it," Lorelai patted her knee. "I was hoping you would. Besides, good doors for slamming and some great stairs for stomping on," she wrinkled her nose teasingly. "Remember?"

"I remember," Rory smiled weakly. "It would only be until we find somewhere of our own."

"It will be for as long as you want," Lorelai scrunched her shoulders up in delight. "I'm so pleased you want it. You know short of hosting a firework display to get you to realise I was worried you weren't going to ask me for it and I was going to have some nasty smelly wierdos staying there."

"We are nasty smelly wierdos," Rory laughed, easily this time. Feeling like a tonne of bricks that she hadn't even realised she had been carrying around was lifted from her shoulder. "Gigi is going to be so pleased and now I won't have to divorce Spencer so I can keep my books."

"Works all round then," Lorelai jumped up from the couch. "Come on Sweets."

"I feel like we should do something to celebrate," Rory muttered.

"Not that I should but, mud pie?" Lorelai quirked her eyebrows at her.

"Luke made mud pie?" Rory followed Lorelai in amassment. "What brought that on?"

"Kirk's birthday, but because of the kids show Luke is withholding it owing to the trauma of what he had to witness. So chocolate creamy cookie pie crust goodness. And there are gummy worms." Lorelai waved her out the office. "Dibs on those."

"Uh uh," Rory called childishly as she half ran down the stairs "I am not missing out on gummy worms."

* * *

 **xXx**

"Be Careful!" Lorelai called after the kids, as the four of them ran across the street into the newest festival fun in the centre of the square. The kids had been desperate to attend the festival after every day watching the construction process. Tempting signs, telling of can throws and win a prize and any number of glorious festival foods. All which were tempting to her, let alone four young children. Kitty had stated on more than one occasion that it was unfair and cruel for the signs to be out before they could actually go and play or eat.

At the word cruel, Lorelai's eyes drew onto the donut stand. Crullers hang on a rack amongst more brightly coloured glazed affairs. She really shouldn't, she'd had way too many sweet treats this week, but those fried rings of dough were just calling to her.

"Lorelai."

Lorelai nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Emily's voice. Hand on chest she turned and looked at her mother who was approaching with Athena on her leash. Emily looked less than impressed at the carnival before her. "Mom," Lorelai nodded at her. "Little Sis," Athena scurried up to her in doggy excitement and Lorelai bent down to greet the small creature. "How are you?"

"You're talking to the dog," Emily voice was ladened with eye rolling.

Lorelai straightened with the smirk. "Of course I am. Sisterly love." She grinned cheekily at Emily. "And how are you Mom?"

"I'm fine. Just seeing what all this fuss is about. Do you think this awful music will be on all day?" Emily asked glancing towards the festivities.

"Be grateful it's four songs on a loop. One year at the late summer festival they sang one song, over and over and over. It was worse than being on hold and then it was stuck in your head for weeks after. Nightmare!" Lorelai wrinkled her nose in delight. "Are you going in?"

"Of course not."

"Grandbabies are in there," Lorelai pointed in the direction that the children had ran. Emily looked wistfully towards the activities. The desire to be with her grandchildren at odds with her distaste for the tackiness the Fayre was filled with.

"Oh My God!"

Lorelai turned to see Rory running towards her. She turned eyes wide with concern. "Are you OK Babe?"

Rory skidded to a halt, panting for breath "Pretend we're talking. Hey Grandma."

"Hello Rory. Why are we pretending?" Emily asked curiously.

"We're not really pretending, we're actually talking, unless there is some Inception type thing going on," Lorelai held her hands out to steady Rory. "Are you OK? Do you need be to get the shocky thing?"

"The shocky thing?" Rory straightened and looked at her in confusion.

Lorelai pointed towards the yellow box affixed to the high school. "The defibrillator. It's a stupid word I couldn't think of it."

"Right. OH!" Rory gasped and took a sidestep so she was peering into the crowd of the festival and forced Lorelai to look outwards. "Stay there. I just want to see."

"See what?" Lorelai and Emily said in unison, turning to look.

"Don't!" Rory hissed pulling at their arms to pull their attention back to her. "Don't look."

"Rory?" Lorelai whined. "Babe Mommy needs the context of what is happening." She raised her eyebrow threateningly. "I'll look."

"Ok, ok. Gigi and Brayden they're…"

Behind her, she heard the sound of the kids erupting into elated giggling. Willow was yelling something. She couldn't make out all of it but she could make out enough that she needed to turn to stop them. She pivoted on her heels, ignoring Rory pulling on her arm. "STOP!" she bellowed across the street, making several residents stop as well as Sam and Grace who had come racing out of the festival. Her youngest two stopped on the precipice of the road. The toes of their sneakers hovering over the concrete. "Don't run into the road." Lorelai called to them.

"But Gigi's kissing!" Grace called in excitement.

"That's private," Kitty stated emerging out of the crowd. "She doesn't want any one nosing. It's bad enough Miss Patty saw."

"Yeah," Willow added as she stepped out, holding some hideous looking toy that she had somehow won in the minute they had been in the festival. "You don't tell on people kissing. Even PDA's are private."

"What do you know about PDA's?" Lorelai trotted across the road towards the kids. Rory and Emily at her heels.

Willow gave her a knowing look. "Enough."

"Enough, huh?" Lorelai tugged the bear from her hands. "Why?"

"Why not," Kitty shrugged and took the toy in turn. "It's not like their making out or anything."

"Making out?" The family turned to look at Luke who was approaching holding a diner bag. "Who's making out,"

"Gigi," Grace answered immediately.

"What?" Luke's nostrils flared. "Who…"

"It's nothing bad Daddy," Willow interrupted him staidly. "Gigi did a game and she won so she got excited, so she hugged the library boy. And then they kissed. It was very romantic and out of a story book. They're just holding hands now."

"Library boy?" Luke fumed.

"Easy there Gramps," Lorelai took his bicep. "Gigi's just had a romcom first kiss, in front of the entire town. who are not going to let her forget it. Everyone chill."

"When I get kissed that's how I want to be kissed," Willow gushed, making Luke go a deep shade of purple. "Nothing dumb like spin the bottle."

"What's spin the bottle?" Sam asked innocently.

"Nope. Enough," Luke waved his free hand. "Here," He thrust the bag at Kitty. She opened it excitedly and then looked up at him in dismay. "So you don't buy anything?"

"But its water." Kitty scowled. "I wanna get a slushie."

"No slushie," Luke told her pointing his finger angrily. "It's full and sugar and…"

"Blue and that is why it's good," Lorelai finished. "Just remember the rules Kitty Kat. You puke, you clean it up."

"I know," Kitty grinned devilishly at her. "Come on" She grabbed at Sam's hand. "No staring at Gigi. In fact we should be distraction. Wanna be my Scott Moir?"

"No sexy Dancing with your brother," Lorelai called as the pair ran back into the fun.

"EW Gross!" Kitty called loudly. "I just meant throwing him about a bit."

"Don't…" Luke trailed off seemingly exhausted. "See this is what sugar does."

"This is pre sugar," Lorelai chuckled.

"Come on Grandma," Willow took Emily's hand and started to tug her and Grace into the festival. Athena wove between the trio, her leash in danger of tripping them.

Lorelai kept her hold on Luke's arm keeping him anchored in place.

"I better go do damage control with Miss Patty," Rory grinned, her cheeks flushed a faint pink.

"Some little punk kissed Gigi," Luke muttered quietly.

"She's fourteen. These things happen," Lorelai raised her shoulder furthest from him in a half shrug. "Just take a deep breath and be cool. You'll have plenty to get stressed over later today."

"They really shouldn't have all that sugar," Luke lamented.

"Them. I was talking about me." She pointed towards the donut booth. "They sing to me."

"I thought you were trying to eat a bit better," Luke sighed heavily. Knowing the answer before he'd even finished.

"I'll be a grumpy moody lady next week. I'll be headachy from no sugar and super blamey about the jeans," Lorelai grinned and rested her chin on his shoulder. "It's part of my charm don't you know."

"It's part of something," Luke shook his head.

"You love it really," She leaned forward and kissed him softly on his grizzled jawline. "Come in and be townie. You can throw sponges at Taylor. It's not a stand but there are wet sponges and he's about."

"Sounds fun," Luke placed his arm around her waist. "And if I have to endure this horror, who better to do it with then you."

"That's the spirit Hon. Enduring Horror since 2004." she kissed him on the cheek again. "It's not bad really," she caught his eye, making him finally smile. "Really. Really."

"I guess not" Luke admitted. "Come on then you."

"So Romantic," Lorelai teased letting him guide her between the stands. "Share a donut with me."

"Like you would ever share," Luke snorted.

"Not Donuts. But Everything else," Lorelai repositioned her hold on his arm. His warm strong, best thing in the world arm. The place she felt safest, and loved. "What's mine is yours,"

"Apart from the closet."

"Apart from the closet." Lorelai nodded in agreement. "Oooo Churros!"

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xoxo**


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